Til Summer Comes Around
by mrsyt31
Summary: Edward and Jasper share a whirlwind summer romance. When a family tragedy call Jasper home to Texas, they are torn apart. Can fate bring them back together again? AH, AU, Slash
1. Prologue

**Hello, lovely readers. My last outtake I wrote didn't get alot of traffic, so I am trying something new. This story contains slash and will have LEMONS! If that is not your thing, please seek entertainment elsewhere!**

**That being said, this story is loosely based on the Keith Urban song by the same name. I have included the lyrics in the prologue, because I think they kind of set the mood for what is to come!**

**Stephenie Meyers owns these charachters, I just like to borrow them sometimes.**

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**Til Summer Comes Around**

**Prologue**

_Another long summer's come and gone_

_I don't know why it always ends this way_

_The boardwalk's quiet and the carnival rides_

_Are as empty as my broken heart tonight_

_But I close my eyes and one more time_

_We're spinning around and you're holding on tightly_

_The words came out, I kissed your mouth_

_No Fourth of July has ever burned so brightly_

_You had to go, I understand_

_But you promised you'd be back again_

_And so I wander round this town_

'_Til summer comes around_

_I got a job working on the old park pier_

_And every summer now for five long years_

_I grease the gears, fix the lights, tighten bolts, straighten the tracks_

_And I count the days 'til you just might come back_

_And then I close my eyes and one more time_

_We're spinning around and you're holding on tightly_

_The words came out, I kissed your mouth_

_No Fourth of July has ever burned so brightly_

_You had to go, I understand_

_But you swore that you'd be back again_

_And so I'm frozen in this town_

'_Til summer comes around_

_And it comes around_

_Oh and I close my eyes and you and I_

_Are stuck on the ferris wheel rockin' with the motion_

_Hand in hand we cried and laughed_

_Knowing that love belonged to us girl, if only for a moment_

_And "Baby I'll be back again" you whispered in my ear_

_But now the winter wind is the only sound_

_And everything is closing down_

'_Til summer comes around_

_-Til Summer Comes Around, _by Keith Urban

**Edward, present day**

When I was in Med School, I knew I wanted to match in the Boston area; my parents and closest friends were all here, so it only made sense. But when I met Jasper, it cemented my decision.

_Jasper._

It's been two and a half years since he left, and it wasn't long after that when he cut off contact with me altogether. And yet, here I am in Boston, still waiting for him to come back. The beginning of the summer always brings back the pain of his loss. My friends and family have all tried to convince me to move on, and I understand their concern. I've never been someone who stayed alone for very long.

But ever since Jasper, I feel stuck. Our relationship was different than others I had before him; I loved him. I still love him, and so I find myself once again visiting the places we went to during the early part of that summer. It's a ritual of sorts that I have repeated each year, hoping to maybe find some closure, but it never comes.

I make my way on foot down to the pier where we spent the Fourth of July and my heart aches as the memories of that night so long ago come flooding back. It was the first time we expressed our love for one another; we stood amongst the crowd holding each other tightly, as the fireworks flashed in the sky above. It was quite possibly the single most romantic moment of my life, and remembering it now brings tears to my eyes again. _Will it ever get easier? _I wonder. It's not like he died- he _left._ I know things were hard for him, but I would have done anything for him if he had let me.

I stand there for awhile, trying to convince myself that there was nothing I could have done to keep him; he made a choice, and we would both have to live with it. I hear footsteps on the pier behind me, and I decide that it's probably time for me to head back home. I take a deep breath to calm myself, and realize the footsteps have abruptly stopped. I turn around then, and am surprised to see the one person that I wasn't sure I would ever see again.

**Jasper, present day**

Being back in Boston is a dream come true. Well, sort of, anyways. My dream of coming back here always included Edward, but he can't be a part of it anymore. We've been here for a month now, and as much as I want to see Edward, I'm not sure that it's a good idea. I called him once when we first got here- it took me a week to gather the courage to do it- and a strange man answered his phone, sounding very at home doing so. I never expected him to just wait around for me, but it still stung. Still, I made the choice to cut myself off from him, and I would have to live with the consequences for the rest of my life.

When Momma died, it felt like everything else died with her. I stopped calling Edward and cut him out of my life in every way I could think of. I still am not sure why I did it. I told myself then that Rosalie needed me and I had to focus on the only family I had left. So we stayed in Austin 'til Rosie finished undergrad, and then we decided to head to Boston, since there was nothing left for us in Texas anymore.

I've been doing a lot of thinking since I moved back here. Every Sunday I find myself visiting all the places that make me feel connected to Edward; the restaurant I was working in when we first met, our favorite bar, and countless other places we shared. Today is no different. It's windy and unseasonably cold for early June, but I can't keep myself from walking down to the pier. The closer I get, the more my heart pounds, and the memories of that night so long ago threaten to crush me. I've never loved anyone like I loved Edward. If I'm being honest with myself, I still love him; it's as if time stands still for me, and I am forever stuck in a replay of a warm summer night nearly three years ago.

As I approach the boardwalk, I notice that I am not alone. I stop when I notice the shock of bronze-colored hair on the man leaning against the railing. My breath catches when he slowly turns and I am face to face with the ghost that has been haunting me for the last two years.

_Edward._

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**Okay, if you would be so kind as to leave a review, I would really appreciate it! **


	2. Chapter 1

**Okay, lovelies. It took a little longer than I would have liked, but here is chapter 1! We are taking a trip back in time right now, and the rest of the story will take place cronilogically from that point. **

**A huge thanks to all who have put me in your faves and alerts! An extra special thanks to those who have taken the time to leave a note or review. It really does motivate me to keep writing!**

**** I am greatly inspired by music. Sometimes it is the actual lyrics that inspire me, and sometimes it's just the over all feel of a song, which was the case with this chapter. Anytime this happens, I will quote some lyrics for you.**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

**Erin**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or it's charachters. We just like to play with eachother on occasion......**

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_To kiss and tell, it's just not my style_

_But the night is young, and it's been a while…_

_Now I'm feeling like I'm finally ready _

_To find somebody new_

_-Kiss a Girl, _Keith Urban

**Chapter 1**

_**3 years ago……..**_

It was a little after five o'clock when I strolled in to Volturi's on Friday afternoon. I had been working for Aro for about six months, and as far as Italian eateries went, his was pretty typical, like something straight out of the fucking Godfather. The people were real nice, though, which was one of the reasons I decided to take the job in the first place. I didn't really need the money, but I had been so wrapped up in my coursework since I moved here the previous summer, that I hadn't really got the chance to meet anybody or make any friends. My life was getting pretty lonely when I saw the help wanted sign in Volturi's window, so I thought, _what the hell?_ It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

Aro had asked me earlier in the week if I would mind picking up a shift on Friday to cover a private party. He had gone out of his way the last few months to make me feel welcome and this was the least I could do for him. As I made my way past the hostess station, Heidi smiled and greeted me, "Hey, Jasper! What are you doing here tonight?"

"Evenin' Heidi. Aro's got some private party coming in he asked me to cover." Heidi was a great girl. She had tried for months to set me up with her sister, Gianna, until I finally broke it to her that I played for the other team. She was embarrassed at first, but within a couple of hours, she was trying to hook me up with Mike from the kitchen. She had spent the last couple of months playing matchmaker and continuously trying to get me to fill her in on "my type".

"Ah," she replied. "So you've got the Cambridge 12, I see. They are great- you'll have fun with them."

"Cambridge 12?" I asked curiously.

"Nice group- all probably around your age; grew up in the neighborhood and have been coming here forever and a day. Aro will insist on paying their tab, and they will insist on leaving you a huge tip. They don't come in as much these days- usually just in the summer when they are all in town." Heidi had been working here since high school, so she knew everything that happened around this place. "They should start arriving pretty soon. Aro's out back and I'm sure he wants to talk with you before he introduces you."

"Thanks Heidi," I said, flashing a smile. I headed out to the kitchen to check in with Aro.

"Ahh, Jasper. Here you are! You are ready for tonight, yes?" Aro Volturi was in pretty good shape for a man in his sixties; he claimed it was the prosecco he drank every night at closing time that kept him ticking. I thought it might have something to do with the fact that he surrounded himself with young people, mentoring them and treating them like they were his own. "This group tonight is very special to me, Jasper. They are like family to me- you treat them as such?"

"Of course, Aro. I promise I won't let you down." Heidi chose that moment to poke her head through the door.

"They just arrived Aro, and they are asking for you already." She smiled.

"Tell them we will be right there, my dear." Aro replied. "Come, Jasper. I introduce you to my friends now."

I followed Aro out to the private dining room. As we approached the table, I quickly scanned over the people sitting there. Heidi was right; they were all around my age- mid twenties and obviously all very good friends. As my eyes made their way around the circular table, they fell upon the most beautiful man I had ever seen. Copper-colored hair, green eyes, and a killer smile. My heart sank when the pretty brunette beside him rested her head on his shoulder and tucked her hand through the crook of his arm. _They make a cute couple,_ I thought to myself. Figures, the fuck-hot ones were always straight. Aro began to introduce me to everyone in the group then, and I was snapped back into the moment. "…and this is Emmett, his sister Alice, Bella, and Edward," he said when he reached the hottie I had checked out earlier. As I looked at him, I realized his eyes were roaming over my body slowly. _Well, fuck me sideways. Copper's checkin' me out!_ He met my gaze then, and I watched as the blush started to rise in his cheeks, and flowed steadily, right out to the tips of his ears. I smirked at him, letting him know he was busted, and turned my attention back to the rest of the table.

I chatted with the group for a few moments before taking their drink orders. When I made it back to Edward, he wouldn't meet my stare. "I'll just…take, ahh…umm…a Summer Wheat, please," he stuttered. I smiled at him again as I turned to head back to the bar area. While Alec was filling my drink order, I let my mind wander to the gorgeous man in the other room. Would it be wrong for me to flirt a little? Probably not, and if I was getting my signals straight, he probably wouldn't object to it. At the very least I may get to see that beautiful blush again. This got me thinking about how long it had been since I had had any sexual release, other than from my own hand- it had been a long time. In fact, it had been at least six months, which as far as I was concerned, was way too long. The real problem lay in the fact that I just didn't have the time or the inclination to go out looking for sex. I wasn't into random hookups, and I wasn't sure if I had the energy to put into having a real relationship. I hated the club scene, so that was out. I guess the fact that it took this long for me to realize it had been too long was a good indicator of the lack of importance my social life had on my list of priorities.

I picked up the tray full of drinks and rested on my shoulder before heading back to the private dining area. Everyone was still laughing and talking with Aro as I began to pass the drinks around the table. One of the women, a pretty red-head who I thought was named Tanya, spoke to me then. "So Jasper, where are you from, originally."

I smiled as I thought of home. "Texas, ma'am- Austin to be exact."

"Really? So, how did a nice southern boy like you end up here in Boston?" I thought for a moment that she might be flirting with me. I didn't really want to lead her down that road, but it was only right for me to be polite and answer her questions.

"I'm in grad school at Northeastern." I told her. "Are y'all ready to order or would you like some more time?" I looked around the table and couldn't help but glance at Edward again. _God, he's beautiful,_ I thought to myself. _Alright, Whitlock. Back to the task at hand._ When I looked around again I noticed the girl named Alice smiling at me, as if she knew what I had just been thinking. I smiled back and nodded to her as the others began placing their dinner orders.

The rest of the evening progressed in pretty much the same manner. Each time I would return to the table, someone, usually Tanya, would ask me a question about myself and my interests. The only difference was that now when I looked at Edward, he would look right back, usually offering me a shy smile. And fuck me if that crooked grin didn't make my dick twitch in my pants. Thank God for the apron I wore as part of my uniform.

When I went to see about dessert, it was no different. "So Jasper," Tanya began, "do you have a girlfriend?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Nope, definitely don't have girlfriend!"

She smiled brightly at me, just as that cute little pixie, Alice, raised her head and spoke. "Do you have a boyfriend, Jasper?" She glanced over at Edward and he shot her the nastiest look. She then turned back to me and smiled hesitantly, waiting for my answer.

"Not at the moment," I replied, smirking just a little. Alice's smug expression lit up her whole face. "So," I said, trying to change the subject, "did y'all see anything you might like to try for dessert?" Alice just chuckled as I looked over at Edward, his head down and that beautiful blush staining his cheeks and ears again. The rest of the group put in their dessert requests, and I headed back to the kitchen to put in my order and pick up some coffee for the table.

Once dessert had been served and everyone seemed to be done for the night, I went back to let them all know that Aro, of course, was covering their bill for the evening. They made a big deal about it and I promised them that he wouldn't have done it unless it was important to him. Just as I was getting ready to clear away some plates so that they could finish their coffees, Tanya spoke up again.

"You know, Jasper, we are all headed down to the tavern after this; you should join us!" Really? Did she not take the hint with the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing?

"Well, now, I wouldn't want to intrude on your little reunion. Y'all go and have some fun and enjoy the evening." Not that I would have minded getting to know Edward, but he wasn't exactly the one doing the asking. I said goodbye to everyone and headed to the hostess station to check in with Heidi and make sure I wasn't needed for anything else before cleaning up for the night. I was just getting ready to get a tray to bus the table with, when I heard him.

"I left my glasses on the table. You guys go ahead- I'll be right behind you." I turned and saw his beautiful face watching me intently. "Hey Jasper," he said softly. "I just wanted to apologize for Alice and Tanya- well, mostly for Tanya. She can be a little pushy sometimes." He smiled as he looked down and pulled at the hair on top of his head. _Could he be any cuter?_

"No worries- I wasn't offended. Besides, I kinda thought it was funny, the way she was so obviously trying to flirt with me. I'm pretty sure if she had known my preferences up front, she wouldn't have bothered in the first place." She certainly wasn't the first woman who had tried to catch my eye. But I was more interested in why Edward felt he needed to apologize for his friend's behavior.

He cleared his throat before continuing. "Yeah, so…umm. Seriously, you should come down to the tavern when you're finished here; hang out, have a few beers. It could be fun?" He sounded unsure of himself and I couldn't imagine how this gorgeous man could possibly lack self-esteem.

"Well, darlin'. I guess that depends who's asking. Are you asking, or is Tanya?" I smiled flirtatiously, hoping to get the answer I was looking for.

He raised his head and looked into my eyes, as if he were searching for something there. Whatever he saw, it must have been what he was hoping to find. "Me- I'm asking. I'd really like it if you would come and hang out tonight."

"Yeah, okay," I answered quietly. Looking around the room, I let out deep breath. "I just need to clean up here a little, and I'll probably run home to freshen up, but I'll be there." The smile he gifted me with lit up his entire face. I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to refuse him anything. He said goodbye and walked out the door to go and catch up with the rest of the group. Heidi was standing behind me when I turned and she gave me a knowing look. "Don't say it," I warned her. "He's too cute for his own damn good." She chuckled as I walked out to the private dining room to finish cleaning up.

I made my way home about a half hour later. I only lived a couple of blocks from Volturi's, so it was a quick walk. As I passed through the door to my loft, my thoughts again went back to Edward. There was something about him that I was definitely drawn to. I wasn't sure what any of this meant- it might be absolutely nothing- but I had a feeling that whatever happened tonight could be the start of something amazing.


	3. Chapter 2

**Okay, sorry for the wait. Real life is a bitch sometimes. Not sure if this chapter is exactly what I wanted it to be, but I think I got my point across. I have a tough time with dialogue, so let me know if you have any suggestions. **

**Song for this Chapter is the same as the last. I think the lyrics this time speak for themselves...;)**

**See you at the end!**

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_It's that moment when you start closing in_

_First you're holding back, then surrendering_

_It can start a fire, light up a sky_

_Such a simple thing; Do you wanna try?_

_Are you ready to say goodbye to all these rules?_

_-Kiss a Girl, _Keith Urban

**Chapter 2**

Being back in Boston always made me feel at peace. Not that I didn't like Chicago- Chicago was a great city, and Northwestern was a _fantastic _school- it was just nice to be home. I was really hoping that I would be able to do my residency here after med school. It had always been my dream to work with my father, and hopefully that dream would be coming true in the next couple of years.

I was barely off the plane Thursday morning when my cousin Alice was texting me to say we were all meeting at Volturi's on Friday. As much as I enjoyed Aro's restaurant, I had been hoping to just relax this weekend before I had to put on my happy face for my closest friends. But, as usual, Alice was a force to be reckoned with, and since I was the last to arrive home for the summer, they had all been waiting for me for about a week. I sighed as I thought about all the questions I would get bombarded with when I finally saw them all again- I had missed out on our regular Christmas time reunion because I had been so busy with finals and such. This would be the first time I had seen any of them since Sam and I had split up, and I knew they would all want the details.

We had only been together about a year, but it still sucked when it ended. I was just so busy, and I knew without a doubt that his feelings were stronger than mine, so it made sense to me to just end it before we got in any deeper. But how do you tell your friends that when you know they all feel sorry for you? It was so obvious in their voices on the phone, or when we actually saw each other, that they thought I was lonely- that I just hadn't found "the one" yet. I wasn't sure if I really believed in the whole soul mate thing, but I did hope to someday settle down with a nice guy; maybe have a couple of kids. I wasn't willing to rush into anything, though, and I certainly wasn't out searching for it.

It was with all these thoughts running through my head that I approached Volturi's on foot around five o'clock on Friday afternoon. I could have driven, but my parents didn't live far from the restaurant, and the weather was beautiful. As I got nearer, I noticed the most attractive man entering the building. _Mmmm, _I thought to myself, _I need to get one of those. _I chuckled to myself as I stood on the corner waiting for the rest of my group. We had been coming to this place for as long as I could remember, and Aro always took really good care of us; treated us like we were family, which in a way we were. We had all grown up here in Cambridge and he had watched us transform from children to adults over the years. He acted more like a proud parent than anything else when he would learn of a new accomplishment or achievement. Plus, his place served the best Italian food- it rivaled anything you could find in the North End of Boston.

One by one, everyone began to arrive. First Bella, then Alice and her brother Emmett. Next were Tanya, Kate, Garrett, and Seth. Finally, we rounded out our group with Jake, Leah, Ben, and Angela. I had missed these people. They were more than friends- they were my family, and it was great to be with them all again.

My favorite hostess, Heidi, met us at the door with a smile. She led us to the private dining area and, at our request, went to go find Aro. It always amazed me how our conversations would pick right up, as if we hadn't spent the last several months spread out around the world. We just seemed to jump right in where we left off. I was seated tonight beside Bella, who had long been one of my closest confidants. She had recently broken up with her longtime boyfriend, so I wasn't surprised that she sought out physical closeness with me. It was often like that with us- we were a comfort to each other whenever one of us needed it. She was snuggled up into my side when Aro approached with our waiter right behind him. I was surprised to see that it was the same guy I had been checking out earlier, but my memory clearly didn't do him justice.

He was incredible. Tall and lean, but well built, with a narrow waist and broad chest. His shirtsleeves were rolled up almost to his elbows, leaving his muscular forearms on display. If I hadn't been sitting across the table from where he was standing, I might have been tempted to run my fingers through the curly blonde hair on those arms. My eyes slowly traveled up his body, first noting his plump, cherry tinted lips which were twisted up in a smirk, and then falling on the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen. And then I realized that those eyes were locked with mine. _Shit! I'm busted. _Before I could even look away I could feel the heat of the blush creeping up my neck into my cheeks. When he looked away I finally got a chance to try and compose myself. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ I had never reacted so strongly to someone before.

He was looking at me again. What did he want? Oh, right, drink orders. "I'll just…take, ahh…umm…a Summer Wheat, please," I managed to choke out as he gave me a knowing smile. I was so embarrassed by my ridiculous behavior, but I didn't seem to be able to control it at all. Aro stayed and chatted with us until Jasper came back with our drinks, which was when Tanya started in with her Spanish Inquisition routine.

"So Jasper," she practically purred, "Where are you from, originally?"

"Texas, ma'am," he answered with another of those panty-dropping smiles. "Austin to be exact." She continued with her questions, wanting to know how he ended up in Boston, to which he replied that he was going to grad-school at Northeastern. Jasper was obviously a smart man, which was a huge turn-on for me. He took our dinner orders then, and I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Alice was sporting a shit-eating grin on her face. No sooner had Jasper walked away than Tanya spoke up.

"He is absolutely darling! I wonder if he's seeing anybody." She questioned. That was the thing that drove me crazy about Tanya- she was always on the prowl.

"Even if he's single, Tanya, I don't think you stand a chance," Alice stated smugly. "He clearly couldn't take his eyes off Edward the whole time he was over here." I said nothing, but smiled and felt myself blush again. For the rest of dinner, I made a point to make eye contact with him whenever he was at the table, even smiling at him a few times. I was just starting to feel a little less self conscious when Tanya piped in again.

"So Jasper, do you have a girlfriend?" She shamelessly batted her fake eyelashes in his direction.

His immediate response was a hearty laugh. "Nope, definitely don't have a girlfriend!"

And then, God help me, my dear meddling cousin Alice stepped in. "Do you have a _boyfriend_, Jasper?" she said as she glanced at me. I shot her my best death stare, as she smiled sheepishly at our handsome waiter.

He shot a glance in my direction and smirked as he replied, "Not at the moment. So, did y'all see anything you might like to try for dessert?" I almost choked on the water I had just sipped as I heard Alice start to chuckle. I dropped my head to the table as my tell-tale blush appeared once more.

A short time later, when I had recovered a little, we were all tucking into our desserts and coffee. Jasper came back to the table to let us know that Aro had taken care of our check, and Tanya took it upon herself to invite Jasper out to the tavern later to join us. I couldn't think of anything I wanted more than for him to come, and I wished I had thought to invite him first. Unfortunately, he declined. I thought I saw him glance in my direction as he told us to have a good night, and Alice leaned across Bella to tell me, "You should go talk to him. He might come out tonight if you asked."

I smiled in return and said, "I might."

When it was time to go, I told everyone to go ahead, making up some lame story about leaving my glasses behind at the table. When I was sure they were all out of earshot, I approached Jasper, who had been standing at the hostess station. I took the opportunity to apologize for Tanya's behavior, and he just laughed, making light of the way she had practically thrown herself at him. This was my chance, and I didn't want to leave without taking it. I took a deep breath and started talking.

"Yeah, so…..umm," _great, I sound like an idiot. _"Seriously, you should come down to the tavern when you're finished here; hang out, have a few beers. It could be fun?" I wondered to myself about my sudden lack of self-confidence just as he met my eyes and smirked. _Fuck, I love that smirk._

"Well, darlin', I guess that depends on who's asking. Are you asking, or is Tanya?" I looked down at my feet, trying to find my courage. Another deep breath and I raised my eyes to meet his. I stared into his eyes for a moment, suddenly feeling like the rest of my life would be determined by the decisions I made tonight.

"Me," I said. "I'm asking. I'd really like it if you would come and hang out tonight." His expression grew soft as he smiled at me. He agreed to come out later, and said he just needed to finish up and wanted to go home and clean up first. We said goodbye and I made my way out of the restaurant, still smiling so hard it hurt. Alice was waiting on the corner.

"Well?" she asked. "Did he say yes?"

I smiled and nodded and she practically danced at my side as we walked down the street. "I knew he'd say yes to you!" she squealed in delight.

I spent the next hour nursing a beer and staring at the door. Emmett tried his best to keep me engaged in conversation, and eventually I relaxed a little. We had been debating the Sox chances of making the series this year when Alice placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered, "He just walked in." She stealthily took her brother's hand and led him out to the pool tables where a couple of our friends were trying to hustle some college kids.

I turned and saw him just as he spotted me. He really was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. He had obviously showered, as his hair still looked damp, and his blonde waves were falling around his face; his hair had been tied back at the restaurant. As he approached the table he gifted me with a wide smile and waved. "Hey there," he said, taking the seat to my right. "Where is everybody?"

I pointed to the game room and answered, "Teaching some kids how to play pool." We both chuckled, and I nervously ran my hand through my hair. "Umm," I stammered, "can I get you something to drink? I'm ready for a refill myself."

"Nah, I'll go up. You want another Sam Adams?" he asked, pointing to the empty bottle in front of me.

"Sure, thanks." When he got up to walk over to the bar, I took the opportunity to admire his tight, round ass. I could feel my cock twitch in my jeans, and I groaned to myself as I rubbed my hands over my eyes. I needed to get a grip on myself before he came back and caught me sporting a semi. I took a few deep breaths, and had managed to calm down a little before he came back, beers in hand.

"So," he said tentatively, "you grew up around here?" His head was down, but he was glancing sideways at me while playing with the label on his bottle. Maybe he was nervous too.

"Yeah, my parents still live just down the street from Volturi's. I try and get back here every summer. What about you? You said you were from Texas?"

"I grew up in Austin, but it's not exactly a gay Mecca; I knew I wanted out of there by the time I hit high school. I did my undergrad in Maine at Bowdoin College, but after that I really wanted to get back to city life. Considering my major, Boston seemed like the right place." He smiled as he told me that he was earning his master's in American History, and that eventually he hoped to get his PhD as well. "I really want to teach, maybe at the college level," he added with another grin. I was impressed- he really was intelligent, as well as focused.

I went on to tell him that I was getting ready to enter my last year of Med School at Northwestern, and that I hoped to come back here to do my residency. "I really would like to work with my father, eventually," I confessed.

We continued to talk and reveal more information about ourselves to each other. I learned that Jasper's father had died when he was ten years old, and that his grandfather had set up sizeable trust funds for him and his sister, making it much easier for him to attend the college of his choice and to get him set up in life. I also learned that the money hadn't really affected Jasper; it just made some things a lot easier.

I told Jasper about growing up in Cambridge, and how I had come to know the group of friends he had met earlier, wondering to myself how it was possible that none of them had interrupted us yet. Not that I was complaining. I was enjoying having Jasper all to myself. The pull I felt towards him was indescribable. When we sat close together like this, there seemed to be an intense energy between us, and it made me want to reach out and touch him.

After a while, I had to admit to him how attracted I was to him. "I'm sorry if my behavior at the restaurant threw you off," I started. "I just feel really drawn to you for some reason, and it caught me a little of guard. It's been a while since I've been affected like that."

"Me too," he replied with a smile. He sighed and continued, "To be honest, I'm not sure I've ever been affected by somebody I just met like I am with you. It's almost like I feel this weird…" he hesitated, and I continued for him.

"Electricity?" I questioned. He nodded at me and looked down at the table. "I feel it too, Jasper." We had been flirting all evening throughout our conversation; it would have been hard to deny that I was extremely attracted to him.

He inched a little closer and turned to face me, effectively straddling my legs with his own. "Fuck," he muttered. "I really want to kiss you right now, but-" he took a deep breath and looked away again. I pulled his chin up and met his eyes with a questioning look in my own. "I think we have an audience," he whispered. I turned to see my entire group of friends trying to pretend that they weren't watching us from the other room. I threw my head back and let out a loud laugh. He chuckled and gave me his now trademark grin and said, "You wanna get out of here?"

"Definitely," was my reply.

We barely made it out the door before he had pushed my body up against the brick exterior of the building. His hands gently cupped my jaw as he touched his lips to mine. We tested the waters with a few teasing kisses, before he pushed his tongue in my mouth. I tried to stifle a groan as I sucked his tongue between my lips. He pulled back a little and rested his forehead against my own.

"Sorry," he said softly. "I just couldn't wait anymore."

I brushed his cheek with my thumb, still unwilling to release him and replied, "Please don't apologize for wanting to kiss me. I've been waiting all night for that."

He smiled again and asked, "My place? It's right around the corner; we can just talk some more if you want?"

I took his hand and laced our fingers together. "Sounds great to me."

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**Okay, so I need to send out a really big thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing, and adding this story to their alerts. I am thrilled by the response so far, and I hope I can continue to keep you all entertained!**

**Voting is open for the Twislash Unveiled oneshot contest, male slash category. I may or may not have a story there, but regardless, there ARE some great one-shots. Check it out and vote if you haven't already!**

**Thanks again for reading!**

**Erin**


	4. Chapter3

_**Sorry, I am epic fail at weekly updates!**_** I wish I could say this one is extra long, but it's not. I do, however, hope you all enjoy and that you stick with me.**

**Also, voting for Twislash Unveiled is happening until Thursday, 4/15. If you haven't done so, go check it out and vote! I may have something posted there, but since it is anonymous, you will have to keep guessing. There are only 7 stories this round, and they are all definitely worth reading!**

**If you are interested, I am on the Twitter ;) same screen name.......**

**And last but certainly not least....Thank you sooooooooooo much to everyone who is reading, reviewing, and adding this story to their faves and alerts. It makes me want to make this story the best it can be :) **

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_I'm lettin' go of all my lonely yesterdays  
I've forgivin' myself for the mistakes I've made  
Now there's just one thing, the only thing I wanna do  
I wanna love somebody  
Love somebody like you._

_"Somebody Like You" - _Keith Urban

**Chapter 3**

_Fuck, he tastes good, _I thought to myself. I pressed my forehead to his, apologizing for accosting him on the street corner.

"Please don't apologize for wanting to kiss me," he said breathlessly. "I've been waiting all night for that."

I took a deep breath and smiled. "My place? It's right around the corner; we can just talk some more if you want?"

"Sounds great to me," he replied as he took my hand.

We started down the block towards my condo and my mind began to wander. _Edward is coming to my apartment. Edward in my apartment. Edward, coming. SHIT! Stop thinking about the sexing, Whitlock! There will be no sexing tonight! _Not that I didn't want to rip his clothes off and lick every inch of skin on his body, but something told me that this man was special; that there could be something real between us. So no, I would not sleep with Edward tonight. But certainly a little making-out could be arranged.

We paused in front of my building and he looked at me curiously. "You live here?" he asked. I nodded and he smiled in return. "My mom helped with the design of this building! She does interior design, but she sometimes works with the architect that redid this whole block. I've always loved this building," he said as he looked back at it with wonder in his eyes.

"Well, then," I replied, "come up and I'll give you the grand tour." He followed me into the elevator as I explained my living situation to him. "The guy who owns the condo is doing Doctors without Borders, so he rented the place to me for two years while he travels the world. He gave me a great deal on the rent since he owns the place outright." I didn't really want to divulge the fact that I had paid for the two years in advance- I had told him a little about my trust-fund, but I wasn't quite ready to divulge the depth of my wealth; there would be time for that discussion later, if things worked out the way I was starting to hope they would. Besides, the money really meant nothing to me- it just made a lot of things easier to manage.

As we reached my door, I let go of his hand- which I had clung to throughout our elevator ride- and fumbled for my keys. Finally managing to unlock it, I opened the door and motioned for him to enter. I followed him in and closed the door behind me. I had barely turned around as he pushed my back against the wall and pressed his lips to mine in a searing kiss. _Maybe I should reconsider my decision to not fuck his brains out tonight. _No! No, I can't do that. _No sexing! _As I waged an interior battle with myself, Edward's kiss grew less frantic, more gentle. He carefully massaged my tongue with his own, soliciting a growl from deep within my chest. He pulled back and placed one more soft peck against my lips as he looked into my eyes. If I was actually going to keep it in my pants tonight, I had to say something.

"Edward," I managed to choke out. "I didn't bring you here to fuck." He looked at me quizzically, and I worried for a moment that he would misconstrue what I was trying to say. "Not that I don't want to, cause believe me, I would like nothin' better than to take you in my room and fuck you seven ways to Sunday, but.....shit.....this isn't comin' out the way I hoped." I reached up and tugged on the curls at the nape of my neck and let out a huge sigh.

He reached for my free hand and began tracing his thumb across my knuckles reassuringly. "It's okay Jasper, I didn't come here just to 'fuck'; although, I will agree that it would be a hell of a lot of fun right now." He smiled at me crookedly, quirking his brow at the same time. We both laughed as he gently pulled me towards the couch. "Let's just talk; we don't need to worry about anything else tonight."

"How about a drink?" I asked. "I have some beer, wine, water?"

"Beer is good," he replied as he took a seat on the sofa. I detoured into the kitchen to grab a couple of beers, and poured some pretzels into a bowl as well. I needed something in my stomach to offset the damn butterflies this man was giving me. Rosie would be having fits if she heard me talking like this. I walked back to the living room and placed the bowl on the coffee table, then handed Edward a bottle. "So Jasper, tell me more about Texas; what your life was like there; your family."

I sat at the other end of the couch and turned my body slightly to face Edward, throwing one arm over the back. "Well, like I said, I always wanted to leave. I never really felt like I fit in anywhere until I went away to college. Hell, if it wasn't for Mama and Rosie, I'd probably never go back."

"You said you did undergrad at Bowdoin?" he asked.

"Yeah, I did. It's funny, cause Brunswick is a pretty small town compared to where I grew up, but the environment just felt so different, ya know? I was too scared to 'come out' publicly in high school, but when I went to college, it was like a whole new world had opened up for me. I even joined a gay and lesbian club on campus." I smiled at the memory. I had made a few really good friends through that group; I still kept in touch with a couple of them. "What about you? How do you like Chicago? Is it a lot different than living here?"

He smiled thoughtfully. "I love Chicago- it's a great city. But, it's not Boston. Boston is home to me and it always will be. I've got one more year in med school, and all my match choices for internship and residency are in and around Boston. I can't imagine wanting to spend my life anywhere else."

We talked a little more about our college experiences and what we loved about the Boston area before our conversation took a more serious turn. "Jasper, what was it like for you when you came out?"

I thought for a moment about that time, and tried to find the right words to explain to him how it had been for me. "Mama and Rosie took the news pretty well- heck, they probably knew long before I ever told them. I never went public though, not back home. I had one friend, Peter, who was also gay. We were both too scared to be out openly, but we had each other. It was kinda nice- we trusted each other and could 'experiment' and stuff, but we never had any real romantic feelings for each other." He nodded his head in understanding at my statement.

"I was lucky, I guess," he said carefully. "My parents were very supportive- they had friends who were active in the gay community, and they respected my choice to be open about my sexuality. And you've already met my friends- not one of them turned their backs when I told them. Yes, I was very lucky. Any serious relationships in your past?"

Normally I wouldn't discuss this topic with someone I had just met, but with Edward, I felt compelled to tell him every dirty little secret hidden in my closet. Not that there were many, but he could be privy to them if he wanted. "Not really. Peter, of course, but like I said, it was never really romantic with us. I dated a bit while I was at Bowdoin, and then I met Kyle the end of my junior year. We dated for quite a while, but eventually I realized that I wasn't in love with him, and that was the end of it. We broke up a few weeks before graduation. I haven't really dated much since then."

I stood and grabbed the empty bottles from the coffee table and turned to Edward. "Want another?" I asked casually.

"Yeah," he said with that hot-ass fucking smirk on his face.

I made me way back to the fridge, hoping he still wanted to hang out and talk for a bit. "So what about you- any serious relationships in your past?" I asked as I returned to the room.

"I had a couple of boyfriends early on- nothing too serious. Then when I got to med school, I didn't really have much time. I did have a boyfriend for a while, but we broke up last fall. He wanted more than I did, and I felt guilty all the time. It just wasn't worth it." We sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before I realized I had been inching closer to him ever since I came back from the kitchen. I hadn't even noticed until I felt Edward's fingers tangle with mine.

I watched our hands for a moment, as I rubbed my thumb in slow circles across his palm. When I looked up, his eyes were on me and he was biting his lip, as if he were holding something back. I reached out with my free hand and brushed my thumb across it, freeing it from the confines of his teeth. My hand trailed around to the back of his neck and wove into the soft auburn curls there. Then, slowly and deliberately, I pulled him to me, never breaking eye contact, until he was close enough that I could brush his lips with a soft kiss. I couldn't resist doing it again, and before long, my kisses were becoming more urgent.

I felt him smile against my mouth as he tried to pull away. "Jasper," he breathed, "I thought we weren't going to do this?"

"I was just talkin' about sex, darlin'," I answered. " I didn't say anything about makin' out like a couple of horny teenagers."

"Hmmm," he hummed in reply. "I like the way you think." He then crawled up into my lap, straddling my thighs, and wrapped his hands around the back of my head, playing with my hair. "Horny teenagers, huh?"

"Yeah," I whispered, trying to stifle a groan as he rocked his hips suggestively against mine. "Come here and kiss me some more." His kiss was gentle at first, but as our tongues made contact, it became much more heated. As we continued to explore each other's mouths, Edward continued to grind himself against my dick. "Fuck, Edward...you feel so good," I moaned in pleasure.

He licked and nibbled his way to my ear where he whispered, "We would hardly be acting like teenagers if there wasn't a little dry humping involved." I chuckled, but when he bit down on my earlobe and I cried out in ecstasy. Who would have thought that just grinding against each other could be so erotic? And with the steady pace we were keeping, I wasn't going to last very long.

I was quickly losing track of all coherent thought; his hips were rocking rhythmically against me, and I was thrusting erratically against his ass; we were headed for dangerous territory. "Edward, wait..." I had to do something before I got carried away with myself- everything he did just felt too good. He hummed against my throat in reply. "I can't believe I'm gonna say this...shit, that feels good...Edward...I think....fuck...I think we need to stop."

He chuckled lightly as he kissed his way along my jaw before reaching my mouth and brushing his lips across mine. "I know," he smiled as he pulled back to look in my eyes. "It's really easy to get carried away with you."

"I feel the same way, darlin'." I sighed as he crawled out of my lap and sat down beside me. "So, now what? I'd really like to see you again."

He looked at me thoughtfully and then broke into a huge grin. "Let me take you out. Are you working tomorrow?"

"No, actually, I don't have to be in 'till Sunday evening. What did you have in mind?"

"I'm not telling! Just be ready to go tomorrow morning around 9?" I could tell he was plotting something as he sat back and tapped his fingers against his jaw. "Wear something comfortable and shoes you can walk in; we'll probably be outside most of the day."

As he met my eyes again, I couldn't help but wonder what it was that drew me to this man. Yes, he was incredibly gorgeous and friendly; easy to talk to and fun to be around. But there was something more, and I couldn't yet put my finger on it. I definitely wanted to spend more time with him.

"It's getting late," he whispered as he stroked the back of my hand with his fingertips. "I should go. You're going to need your rest for what I have planned for tomorrow."

"A real date, huh? I'm excited, and intrigued. I can't wait to see what you have in store for me." I wrapped my hand around his and pulled him to me for a quick kiss before helping him stand. "Let me see your phone so I can give you my number." He handed it to me and snagged mine from the side table where I had left it earlier before programming his own number in it.

We walked slowly to the door, neither of us seeming to want to lose contact just yet. We stood for several minutes with our arms wrapped around each other- kissing, touching, caressing- trying to savor our time together. All too soon, he was saying goodbye. "I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

"Me too. I had a good time with you tonight." I kissed him softly once more.

"I had a good time too, Jasper," he said as he turned to walk out the door. "Good night."

I pulled him back for one more passionate kiss, and when we parted, his eyes were dark with lust. "Good night, Edward."

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**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review, if you are so inclined :)**


	5. Chapter4

**Sorry this took so long! RL can be a bitch! **

**Reminder: the summary calls this a whirlwind romance- that means things are going to happen FAST! We have a little citrus at the end here, folks. Hope it was worth the wait.**

**Thanks to rmhale for the inspiration....you know what I'm talkin' bout girl. And thanks to Meikela22 for pimping and pre-reading. Check out their stories if you haven't already. They are both on my faves.....**

**Disclaimer......I don't own, but I think you all knew that....**

**See you at the end.....**

**..........................................................................................**

_You know I can't read your mind my love  
But it seems to me  
That your heart and mine tonight are  
Defying gravity  
There's something so familiar and still so unknown  
But the closer that we get I swear it feels like coming home_

"If Ever I Could Love" by Keith Urban

**Chapter 4**

Sleep did not come easily. Jasper's scent still lingered on my skin, his taste still on my tongue. And it was with thoughts of him writhing beneath me that I finally gave in and stroked myself into oblivion, cumming harder than I ever had before.

His effect on me was like nothing I had ever felt. I had only known him for a matter of hours, and yet, he occupied every corner of my mind. Every touch of his hand had sent shock waves through my body. It was similar to the way the air turns static right before a thunderstorm; when he was near to me, it was as if the air shifted somehow, and I would have known that he was close even if I couldn't see him.

I wanted him badly; I wanted to fuck him senseless and then have him return the favor, but it was more than that. I felt connected to him somehow, more than I had ever felt connected to anyone, and I didn't really even _know_ him. I sighed in frustration as I finally rolled over and allowed my exhaustion to pull me under. Hopefully the morning would bring some clarity.

Approximately five hours later, I was awakened by the screech of my alarm clock. I had a big day in store for Jasper, and I needed to put my plans together. It had been a long time since I took the time to visit 'historical Boston', so I flipped open my laptop and got to work mapping out a route for us to follow. Within twenty minutes, my plans were complete and I decided it was time to hit the shower.

Of course I couldn't make it out of the shower without jerking off to images of Jasper behind my closed eyelids. I kept imagining what it would feel like to have him in my bed, naked and at my mercy; or in the shower with me, on his knees with his lips wrapped around my cock. It was the last image that left me shooting streams of hot, white cum all over my shower wall. I took a deep breath before I finished cleaning myself up and turned off the shower, grabbing a clean towel from the rack in the corner.

I dried myself off as I walked back to my room to choose my outfit for the day. I never really put much effort into dressing myself, and as much as I wanted to make an impression on Jasper, I really wanted to be comfortable, and not pretend to be someone I wasn't. I grabbed a pair of black boxer-briefs from the top drawer, and then put on my favorite pair of worn out jeans, pairing them with a white button-up. I finished off with a brown leather belt and my most comfortable pair of Doc Martens before heading to the kitchen for a glass of juice. I grabbed my phone to shoot Jasper a quick text letting him know I was on my way.

**I'll b there in 10....coffee?**

His reply came back quickly.

_**Please. Black. See u in a few....**_

I smiled to myself as I put my wallet in my pocket, grabbed my fleece, and headed out the door.

_xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo_

At exactly 9:00, I was standing outside Jasper's door. He buzzed me into the building, and I rode the elevator to his apartment. I wondered to myself if the bizarre connection I felt to him last night would still be there today. Did he feel it too? I didn't have to wait long to find out. When I stepped off the elevator he was already waiting for me at his door, and I once again felt my body begin to hum in anticipation of his touch.

"Good morning," he breathed as I smiled at him. He took our coffees from me as I followed him into the kitchen and carefully set them on the table before turning back to me. "I've been waiting hours for this." A look of confusion must have passed over my features, because he smiled and took my face in his hands. "I've been dying to kiss you again." He brushed his lips against mine softly, and then more firmly, and I was glad to see that my reaction last night hadn't been just my imagination. He set me on fire with his every touch, no matter how chaste.

"Now that's the way to start a Saturday," I smiled as he pulled away.

"Hmmm," he hummed in agreement. "The only thing better would be if you had been in my bed when I woke up this mornin'."

"Well then," I teased, "be a good boy today, and I'll let you cook me breakfast tomorrow morning." I cocked my eyebrow and grinned wickedly at him as he grumbled in frustration.

"I wish you could understand the effect you have on me. You drive me crazy!" He tugged at the hair on the back of his neck as he smiled.

"I'd say the feeling's mutual," I practically whispered. We stood staring at each other for a moment before he broke the tension.

"So what exactly do you have planned for me today, darlin'?" I shrugged my shoulders, suddenly a little nervous about my plan.

"Well, it's kind of silly. You've probably done it already, considering your studies, but it's something I've always enjoyed, so...."

"Edward, I'm sure whatever you have in mind will be great." He reached for my hand and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles to try and sooth me. "I just want to spend some time getting to know you better." His soft smile was reassuring, and I took a couple of deep breaths to steady myself, because at his touch, my cock had begun to stir in my jeans.

I pulled his hand to my face and placed a soft kiss there before reaching for my coffee. "I thought we could head into the city and do a walking tour of Historical Boston- you know, the Freedom trail? We can visit all the places within the city that are significant to the American Revolution."

The look on his face was one I could not decipher, but it quickly turned to one of excitement. "Really? You would be interested in that?"

"Of course, Jasper! It's been a couple of years since I did the tour, but it really is a lot of fun. You've not done it before?" I admit, I was surprised at his reaction.

"I've never done the whole thing, just visited a couple of the sites. I've been to Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution, but I've never taken the time to do the rest. You really want to do this?" he questioned.

I smiled widely at him. "Come on, beautiful. We've got a long day ahead of us."

Jasper made sure he had his keys and wallet, as well as a hoodie, and we picked up our coffees from the table before heading to the T.

We enjoyed our walk to the Lechmere T station; the weather was beautiful and we made small talk comfortably. Our train ride into the city was not long, and we were soon exiting the Green Line into Park Street Station.

He took my hand and laced our fingers together as we made our way into the daylight. I smiled as I felt the tingling sensation return at his touch. "Do you mind?" he asked almost shyly.

"No," I said softly as he returned my smile. "We're starting at The Boston Common, if that's alright?" He nodded as we continued to the Visitor Information center. Jasper was in awe as he read over the pamphlets detailing the rich history of the park. "How much of the history of this site do you know?" I asked curiously.

"Well, most of it, really. But it's nice to be able to take that information and actually stand where it all happened, you know? So many people think that this is just a park, but it's really so much more. I think that's where my love of history comes from; the need to always know the story behind any given place or event." He turned and pulled me to him for a quick kiss. "Thank you for this," he said quietly. "It means a lot that you wanted to share this with me."

"We're just getting started, beautiful," I said, suddenly feeling that my statement carried a greater meaning. I kissed him once more and offered him my hand. "We have a lot to see, so we should probably get moving."

We walked leisurely through the Common towards Beacon Hill and the State House. The beauty of the building was captivating, but it still couldn't compare to Jasper. The way he took in every detail; studying it closely as if trying to commit it to memory. I watched as he ran his long fingers over the rungs in the wrought iron fence. He was breathtaking. "So beautiful," I said reverently.

"It is, isn't it?" he replied, clueless that I was talking about him and not the structure before us.

Since it was a Saturday, the State offices were closed, and we were granted a tour of the building, along with several tour groups that were visiting the site as well. We spent about a half hour there before moving on to the the Park Street Church and the Granary Burying Ground.

The graveyard itself was always fascinating to me, and I could see it was having the same effect on Jasper. It was the final resting place for Benjamin Franklin's parents, John Hancock, and Paul Revere, just to name a few. I had spent many a Sunday as a teenager combing through the rows of grave markers, looking for names I might recognize.

"Amazing," Jasper breathed as he ran his fingers over the names carved into the markers on the tomb of Samuel Adams family, which also held the victims of the Boston Massacre. "This is unbelievable! To finally get to see all these places in person- I can't believe I've never taken the time."

"Well, I'm glad that I get to enjoy it with you."

"Me too," he replied as he came and wrapped his arms low around my waist. "Have I said 'thank you' yet?"

"A couple of times," I replied, resting my forehead against his. "But, you can thank me properly later." I grinned and winked at him as he chuckled.

"I won't forget you said that."

My breath caught as I took in the hungry look in his eyes. "I'm counting on it."

When we were finished at the cemetery, we made our way to King's Chapel and burying ground, and Boston Latin School, which had the honor of being the oldest public school in America. We stopped for a few minutes to admire the statue of Benjamin Franklin, which marked the site of the school that had since been relocated several times.

"Isn't it crazy that this is where four of our country's founding fathers received their education?" His enthusiasm for the subject was incredible. I thought to myself that listening to Jasper talk about anything that passionately would hold my attention indefinitely. Everything about him drew me in- his looks, his scent, his taste- but it was his personality and his enthusiasm for life that had me hooked. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since we met, and I was already addicted to him.

I walked up behind him and put my arms around his waist, burying my face in the crook of his neck. I breathed in his scent and place a soft kiss at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. "We should keep moving. We have a few more places to hit before lunch, and I have a feeling you will want to spend some extra time at a couple of them."

He turned his head to kiss my lips, and reached down, taking my hand in his once more. "Where to next?"

_xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo_

After a brief stop at the Old Corner Bookstore, we made our way down Washington Street to the Old South Meeting House. Jasper was particularly thrilled as he began to talk about the events leading up to the Boston Tea Party, and how Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty had secretly conspired to dispose of 342 crates of tea on Griffin's Wharf. Again, listening to him talk about something he was so passionate about struck a chord deep inside of me. I wasn't sure I would ever grow tired of listening to him. I smiled as he continued on with his history lesson, and I thought to myself that he really would make a great teacher.

He continued to speak animatedly as we walked back up Washington to the Old State House museum and site of the Boston Massacre. He would occasionally stroke his thumb over my knuckles, or pull my hand up to offer me a soft kiss. A few times I found him watching me from the corner of his eye. All I could focus on was the way his skin felt against mine, and the color of his full lips as he graced me with a soft smile. I wasn't sure at this point if I would make it through the rest of the day without dragging him into a dark corner somewhere and having my wicked way with him.

By the time we were finished wandering through the museum, it was nearly lunchtime. Since our next stop would be Fanueil Hall, I suggested we make a pit stop at Quincy Market to get some lunch and take a brief rest.

We both opted for sushi, and found a table in the busy dining area where we could sit and talk while we enjoyed our lunch. We talked a little about the class Jasper was taking over the summer, which as it turned out, was the only reason he had stayed in the city instead of returning home for the summer.

"I needed an elective for my masters program, and this particular Professor is only here for summer term. I read a paper he did a few years ago on the Sons of Liberty and their influence on the American Revolution, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to sit in on his lectures. It means I don't get to see Mama and Rosie for a while, but they understood." I could tell in the tone of his voice that he missed his family.

"I'm glad," I said tentatively. "Otherwise, we may never have met, and that would be a shame." He reached over and cupped my jaw in his hand, and carefully brushed his thumb across my cheek.

"I'm glad, too." I turned my head and kissed his palm before we gathered our things to continue our day. As we walked hand in hand, he turned to me and asked, "Does it seem at all weird to you? I mean, it hasn't even been twenty-four hours since we met, and here we are, acting like we've been together for years."

"Part of me thinks that it should feel weird, but it just doesn't. Being with you feels like the most natural thing in the world." He smiled at my answer, and I could see some of the tension from a moment before release from his shoulders.

"I was thinking the same thing. I'm glad that we're on the same page."

_xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo_

The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur. We visited Fanueil Hall, Paul Revere's House, The Old North Church, Bunker Hill, and finally the USS Constitution. After being on our feet all day, we were both worn out. My original plan had included dinner in the North End at a romantic little restaurant I knew, but instead, we opted to take a cab back to Cambridge and order in at Jasper's place.

It was just about six o'clock when the cab dropped us off in front of Jasper's building. Once we were inside, we both toed off our shoes and left our phones and keys on the side table in his entryway. He took my jacket, along with his sweatshirt, and hung them on the coat rack before taking my hand and leading me to the kitchen.

"Should we order dinner now, or do you want to wait a little while?" I asked as I placed my hands on his slender hips and pulled him in for a chaste kiss.

He chuckled against my lips before replying, "That's a loaded question, darlin'." I looked at him curiously, not really sure what he meant. Thankfully, he sensed my confusion. Leaving a trail of wet kisses across my jaw, he took my earlobe into his mouth and began to nibble gently. His voice was gravelly and tinged with lust as he answered my unspoken question. "There's nothin' more I would like right now than to take you to my bedroom, remove all of your clothes, and thank you properly." My breath hitched as he continued his trail of open-mouthed kisses down the side of my neck until he reached the juncture of my shoulder, where he sucked gently on the tender skin. "But," he said, pulling away slightly, "I'm afraid that if we don't eat soon, that neither of us will have the energy for me to worship you the way I would like to."

I swallowed hard and took a few deep breaths, trying to will my erection to go away. Just the thought that he wanted me as much as I wanted him made me hard as steel. But he was right; it had been a long day and we both really needed to eat. We perused his collection of take-out menus, and decided on the Thai place around the corner.

"They have the best pad thai I have ever tasted!" I exclaimed. "I miss it when I'm gone."

He laughed lightly at my commentary. "When _did_ you get back?" he asked curiously.

"I just got back on Thursday," I replied.

"You just got back two days ago? And you're here with me instead of with your family? How do your parents feel about that?"

"Well, I'm nearly twenty-six years old, so it's not like I have to get their permission or anything," I said jokingly. "Seriously Jasper, it's fine. We hung out Thursday night and caught up. Alice had already claimed me for dinner last night, and my folks usually leave on Fridays to go to the Cape anyways. They have a house out there and spend pretty much every weekend there from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Besides, my mom will be happier when she can have me to herself during the week."

"Okay," he said, nodding his head in understanding. "I just don't want to keep you from them, if they were missing you or somethin'."

"Hey, no worries. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be."

_xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo_

After dinner was done, I helped Jasper clean up our dishes and trash. I was getting ready to fall onto the sofa when he grabbed my hand. "What are you doing?" he asked, his head cocked to one side.

"I was going to sit. Did you have something better in mind?" A slow smile spread across his face and there was a glint in his eyes that I recognized from the previous evening.

"As a matter of fact....." No more words were needed. I willingly let him lead me back to his bedroom. The late evening sun was still streaming through his window, casting a golden light on everything it touched. He looked like an angel. "I think I said something earlier about thanking you properly for our date today."

He guided me across the room until the back of my knees hit the edge of his king-sized bed. He kissed me softly, cupping my face in his hands as he stroked his thumbs over my cheekbones. With this one simple act, I was hard as a rock again. I needed him. Every fiber of my being was calling out for him to touch me; I needed to feel him everywhere. I grabbed his belt loops and pulled his hips to mine, grinding against him. He groaned into my mouth at the contact, and wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me firmly in place. "Fuck," he muttered. "I've been dying to do this all fucking day!"

I looked into his eyes as I ran my tongue over his luscious bottom lip. I could still taste the beer he drank with dinner. "You taste so good..." He cut off my words as he crashed his lips to mine, thrusting his tongue into my mouth. We stayed like that- stroking, groping, kissing- until we were both aching for more. I felt his hands go for my belt and whimpered when he finally pulled it free and popped open the button of my jeans. His hands were warm, and he left my skin blazing when he stroked his long fingers across the waistband of my briefs. From the bottom up, he slowly unbuttoned my shirt, as if he were trying to savor every moment. He trailed his fingers over the muscles of my abdomen and chest before pushing my shirt off and onto the floor.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered as his eyes met mine once more. Not wanting to be the only one losing my clothes, I reached for the hem of his polo shirt and helped him pull it over his head. I wanted to show him the same tenderness he had shown me. I placed soft kisses on his chest and, unable to resist, took his nipple into my mouth, flicking it with my tongue as it hardened for me. I carefully took the other between my fingers and pulled gently, causing him to moan in pleasure. "Edward....fuck, that feels good." Once I had made sure that both of his nipples had received proper attention, I let my hands trail down to his waist and slowly worked the button-fly on his low slung jeans.

It was my turn to stare. "So fucking sexy," I breathed as I tugged at his jeans, letting them fall to the floor. Mine soon followed and then he was pushing me back onto the bed. He helped me scoot back so that I could recline on the pillows, and then settled himself between my legs. I was on sensory overload and we hadn't even done anything yet. The feel of his naked chest pressing against mine was a sweet torture, quickly lighting a fire deep within me. I needed more. Our hips began rocking against each other in a slow rhythm, our cocks separated by only a thin layer of fabric.

Jasper trailed his kisses down my neck, and spent the next few minutes carefully worshipping my chest. He tugged gently at my nipples with his teeth, causing my hips to involuntarily thrust against him. His hands made their way to my briefs again, palming my dick through the thin barrier. "Fuck, Jasper!" I cried out. He then hooked his thumbs in the elastic waistband and slowly pulled them down over my hips. When he finally got them all the way off, he tossed them in the pile of clothes beside the bed, and then kissed his way back up each leg. His seduction was slow, and left me writhing in absolute ecstasy.

He wrapped one of his long-fingered hands around my throbbing cock and began stroking me slowly. "I want to make you feel good, Edward."

"It does....you do....Fuck!" I rambled as he ran his thumb over the tip, spreading the pre-cum that had gathered there. My hips were rocking in time to the movement of his hand.

"You make me so hot, watching you buck your hips against my hand; knowing that I'm the one pleasing you." His words were driving me insane, quickly pushing me closer to the edge of my release. "I want to taste you, Edward. Would you like that?" I nodded in reply, not sure that I could form words at that point. "Tell me, baby. Tell me what you want me to do."

"Fuck, Jas-per...shit....I want...I want you to s-...suck my d-dick!" With a wicked grin, he took me in deep until I hit the back of his throat. He swallowed around me once, and then backed off slightly, bobbing his head up and down on my aching shaft. Occasionally he would swirl his tongue around the head and then take me deep in his throat again. I was on the edge, quickly losing control as I grabbed fistfuls of his beautiful blonde curls. He stilled his movements, allowing me to fuck his face as he began to massage my balls, tugging gently. When he traced his finger around my entrance I lost it. "Shit...I'm gonna cum!" I cried as he took me deep in his throat and swallowed, taking in every drop as I pulsed in his mouth.

As my breathing began to slow, I felt Jasper wrap himself around my body and I turned my head to kiss him. I could taste myself on his tongue and I felt his cock twitch against my thigh. I reached for him and started pumping him slowly. "Edward, you don't have to-",

"Jasper. Fucking. Whitlock. Since the moment I first saw you, I've wanted to taste every inch of your body. You couldn't keep me from doing this if you tried." I rolled him onto his back and worked my way down his body. I continued to work him over with my hand as I massaged his balls with my tongue, sucking them into my mouth one at a time. He moaned out my name when I used my tongue to trace the vein on the underside of his shaft, and his hips rose off the bed when I swirled it around the tip.

"Fuck, baby...feels so good...so close..." he mumbled as I took him fully in my mouth, continuing to stroke him with my tongue. Using one hand to pump him in time with the movement of my mouth, I used the other to massage his perineum. "Yes! Shit...don't stop!" he cried as his hips writhed on the bed beneath me. I carefully probed his ass with my finger and he came hard, spilling into the back of my throat. I continued to suck him gently until he grew soft.

When I had finished licking him clean, I crawled back up the bed and nestled my self against him. He rolled to face me, kissing my lips tenderly. "Stay," he whispered into the now dark room. "Stay with me?"

I smiled at him in through the darkness. "I'm not going anywhere, baby."

**......................................................................**

**So, hope you all liked it! Let me know what you think;)**

**If anyone is interested in more information on the historical sights listed, you can find it all on **

**What do you think the boys should have for breakfast? **

**Oh, and you can follow me on Twitter. Sometimes I leave teasers....**


	6. Chapter 5

_**So, here I am, a whole day before my self-imposed deadline for this chapter!! I hope you all like it ;)**_

**_Just in case something happens and this story gets pulled for content, it is also posted at Twilighted. I am also toying with posting it on my blog, but I am still learning my way around over there. If you are interested, you can find the blog at mrsyt31(.)blogspot(.)com_**

**_I am on twitter if you care to follow me...Sometimes I post teasers there, as well as in the blog._**

**_Disclaimer: All recognizable charachters and relationships belong to Stephenie Meyers. I own Jasper's dirty mouth, and a weakness for Keith Urban._**

**_....................................................................................................._**

_I used to cry out in the middle of the night_

_Baby hold me tight_

_But there was nobody beside me_

_When I opened my eyes_

_Now I've turned a corner on those days and nights_

_And something inside me is changing_

_I think I might be starting over_

_And I don't wanna run_

_Oh no cause you might be the one, baby_

_"If Ever I Could Love"_ by Keith Urban

**Chapter 5**

_We lay in my bed, limbs tangled together as we continued kissing each other. Even after we had found our release, it still didn't feel like enough; I needed more of him. _

_Our kisses were languid and slow at first, eventually growing more_ _passionate as our desire began to increase once more. I allowed my fingers to gently trace the well-defined muscles of his chest and abs, drawing a gasp from him as one of the digits grazed the bronze curls at the base of his cock. He sighed softly as I allowed my nails to scratch lightly through the course hairs, causing his now erect dick to twitch against me. "I can't get enough of you, Jasper," he whispered in my ear as he traced the outer shell with his tongue._

_Grabbing my hips, he rolled us so that I was on top of him. He trailed his hands up over my ass, squeezing my cheeks gently, and continued up the line of my spine. I groaned as I ground my hips against his, surprised to find that he was as hard as I was. I straddled his thighs, reaching over to the bedside table to grab the lube I kept there. His eyes grew wide at first, not realizing my intention. I poured a few drops in my palm and rubbed my hands together before taking us both in one of my slick palms. "Shit!" he cursed as I stroked up and down slowly. He picked up the bottle that I had dropped onto the bed, flipping open the cap and squirting some onto his fingers. A growl erupted from deep in my chest as he wove our fingers together around our rock hard erections._

_"Do you know how badly I want to fuck you, Edward?" I asked, rocking my hips against him. Not waiting for him to answer, I continued, "I want to feel my cock buried so deep in your ass. Would you like that? Would you like me to fuck you?"_

_"Yes!" he hissed, meeting me thrust for thrust as we continued to pump our dicks together._

_"Soon, baby, I promise." I used my free hand to pull him into a sitting position, never letting go of our connection. I left a trail of wet kisses along his shoulder until I reached the junction of his neck, licking and sucking at the skin there. "Would you like to know what else I want?" I asked as I traced my tongue along his collarbone. _

_"T-tell me," he stuttered, his hips pushing more erratically against mine as he got closer to his release._

_I took his earlobe in to my mouth, sucking gently, and then traced my tongue around the inside of his ear. Taking a ragged breath I whispered, "I want you to fuck me, Edward, so hard that I can feel your cock pulsing when you come inside of me."_

_"Fuck! Shit....Jasper....cumming...."_

_His whole body stilled as he shot his load all over our hands and stomachs. I moaned loudly as I continued to stroke both of our dicks, my own release imminent. "Shit, baby...Oh God!" I cried, shooting streams of hot, white cum all over the both of us._

_We continued rocking against each other slowly, wrapping our arms around each other and sharing soft kisses. He pulled my tightly to him as he lay back on the bed, carefully rolling us so that we were on our sides facing each other. Not bothering to clean up the sticky mess we had created,_ w_e lay like that, silently, staring into each other's eyes until we were finally overcome by sleep._

I couldn't remember ever feeling this happy or content. I relished in the warmth wrapped around my aching body, and I slowly stretched to release some of the kinks left from our activities the night before.

I felt his arms tighten around me, one of his palms splayed across my chest, the other on my stomach. "Hmmm, were you having a good dream?" he asked, his voice still rough with sleep.

I chuckled as I remembered what I had been dreaming about as I lay sleeping in his arms. "I was, actually," I replied, smiling.

"Care to share?" he said curiously.

"I was actually dreaming about round two....." my sentence went unfinished as he moved on top of me and kissed me passionately.

"Round two was my favorite," he stated, continuing to nibble at my bottom lip. "But I think we should try for best out of three...."

~*J*~

Once round three was over, we both agreed that if we stayed in the apartment, we would never make it out of the bedroom. So instead, we decided to shower and head out for brunch at one of the neighborhood restaurants.

We showered together, of course, because neither of us was willing to separate ourselves just yet. We took our time, washing each other in turns and occasionally exchanging soft kisses. It was almost more intimate than our time in my bed.

Edward rested his head on my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around him to lather his back. "You implied last night that you're interested in bottoming as well as topping. Were you just trying to push my buttons, or did you mean it?" His question caught me off guard momentarily, because I couldn't tell by his tone if he had been bothered by what I had said.

I pulled back and looked him in the eye. "I meant it; does it bother you?"

He smiled at me. "No, not at all. I like both." I turned him to stand under the spray as he continued, "I've just never really been with anybody who wasn't firmly one or the other. I'm glad though," he said. "I haven't bottomed in a while; I'm looking forward to it." The cocky grin on his face nearly made me lose my shit, but I knew I wasn't ready to fuck him just yet. I wanted to wait until I was sure that it was more than just fucking.

"Soon," I whispered as I pulled him to me for a kiss.

We finished our shower and dressed to go out. It was nice to be out with Edward. We held hands and talked as if we had always known each other, instead of only having met two days ago. Aside from the electricity I always felt in his presence, he brought with him a sense of calm that soothed my soul. These last two days had been the most perfect in my life, and I was almost afraid to be away from him; afraid that the magic would disappear once we were parted.

We talked quite a bit over brunch, each of us reminiscing about our childhoods and family traditions. Edward talked a little about his parents and how close they were. He even went so far as to say he wanted me to meet them sometime.

"I don't really keep any secrets from them, and this, whatever it is between us, is important. I want them to know you. I want them to see how happy I am when I'm with you." He reached out and cupped my jaw in his hand, running his thumb over my cheek.

"I'd like that," I answered quietly. He pulled my face to his and placed a chaste kiss on my lips before returning to his meal.

Once we were done eating, I took care of the bill, and we made our way leisurely back to my place. It was obvious that we were both uneasy at the thought of our perfect weekend coming to a close. He followed me up to the apartment to get his clothes- he had borrowed some clothes from me so that he wouldn't have to go out in the outfit he had worn the day before. He set about gathering his things and I walked up behind him, snaking my arms around his waist and holding him against my chest.

"Can you stay a little longer?" I asked. "We don't have to do anything, I just....I'm not ready to let you go yet."

He smiled and nodded as he sat on my bed, pulling me with him. "What time do you need to leave for work?" he asked.

"I need to be out of here by 3:30," I replied.

"You should probably set the alarm in case we fall asleep." He scooted over to the opposite side of the bed, making room for me to crawl in on my side. I set the alarm for 2:30, leaving plenty of time for me to freshen up and get changed before I headed to Volturi's for the night. I pulled my legs up onto the bed and rolled into his waiting arms.

"When will I see you again?" I asked quietly.

"Whenever you want, Jasper. I told you before, I can't get enough of you. These last two days have been amazing, and I want more." He pulled back so that he could look me in the eye. "Do you have class tomorrow?"

"Yeah, and I need to do some reading tonight when I get home. I get out of class around noon. What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Having lunch with my mom so we can catch up. Dinner?" He asked curiously.

"Dinner sounds great." I felt better knowing that we already had a plan to see each other again. We snuggled closely and just held each other like that until we drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

When the alarm went off, I got up and changed for work. I splashed some cold water on my face and brushed my teeth, feeling a little more human again. When I exited the bathroom, Edward was making my bed. Pulling himself upright, he turned to look at me. "God, you're beautiful," he whispered reverently.

I walked to him slowly and placed a tender kiss on his full lips. "Thank you. You're not so bad to look at yourself."

Wrapping his arms back around my waist, he pulled me close. My fingers found their way to the hair on the back of his head, and I sighed as he kissed me slowly, showing me with his mouth all of the things he couldn't yet say. We both knew on some level that whatever was happening between us would change us both forever; we were inexplicably tied together now. I had never experienced anything of this intensity before, and it was exhilarating, if not a little frightening.

"What's wrong, Jasper?" he whispered against my lips. "You seem tense; not at all like the outgoing, confident guy I met Friday night. Tell me?" he implored.

"I'm afraid that once you leave here that this will all disappear." His expression softened when I confessed my insecurity. "This is so unlike me, I'm sorry. It's just that....." I couldn't finish. I wasn't even sure what I was trying to say.

"Jasper..." he pleaded for me to continue.

"I've known you for two days, Edward. And this?" I said, pointing between the two of us, "This is more intense than anything I have ever felt in my life. I _want_ you, Edward, for more than just this weekend. I've never _really_ wanted anyone, but the thought of losing this scares the shit out of me."

He sighed and rested his forehead against mine. "Oh, Jasper," he breathed. "I feel it too." He kissed me once before looking into my eyes. "We have time to figure this out; we have all summer, and believe me when I tell you that I want to spend that time with you. Whatever happens later, we'll deal with it when the time comes, okay?"

"Okay," I answered, feeling serenity wash over me with his touch.

He gathered up his things and put them into a bag I had dug out of my closet. We picked up our phones and keys from the table by the door, and I locked the door behind me as we left. "Can I walk you to work?" he asked. "I kind of have to walk by there, anyways, to get back to my parents' house."

I smiled as I laced my fingers through his. "I'd love it if you did, baby." We didn't talk much as we made our way over to Volturi's. It was only about three blocks from my place, so it didn't take us very long to get there, and then it was time to say goodbye. "Can I call you later?" I asked.

"I'll be waiting," he smiled, pulling me in for a quick kiss before releasing my hand. "Tell Aro I said 'hello', and I'll be in again soon."

"I will. Have a good night, darlin'." I watched as he backed away slowly, still looking at me with a goofy grin on his face.

"I'll talk to you later!" he called before turning the corner towards his home.

~*J*~

Heidi was waiting when I stepped through the door of the restaurant. "Well, well, well," she said, smirking. "Looks like somebody had a good weekend. Was that Edward Cullen I saw kissing you goodbye just now?"

Shit. I was hoping to avoid this for a while. "Yes, that was Edward Cullen. No, I will not spill any details, other than that I did have a very nice weekend." She smiled at the blush creeping across my cheeks. _Fuck!_ _I don't blush, EVER! What is wrong with me?_ Except I knew exactly what was wrong. And it wasn't really wrong- it was totally right. I smiled to myself as I headed back to the office to stow my personal items for the night. I put my phone on vibrate and stuck it in my pocket, then went back to the front to get my table assignments from Heidi.

For the most part, the evening went pretty smoothly; I never had a hard time making small talk with the patrons, and I actually enjoyed the work. It wasn't 'til around seven that things started to take a strange turn. I was busing one of my tables in the lounge when I heard Heidi greet them.

"Good evening, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. Just the two of you this evening?" _Shit. _Edward's parents were at my place of work. It was inevitable that it would happen eventually, I just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon. I had worked here for months; I'd probably seen them on many occasions. Edward and I had actually talked about me meeting them at brunch today. I didn't want it to happen like this. I quickly made my escape to the kitchen, trying to catch my breath. _Fuck! _I wasn't ready for this. _Calm down, Whitlock, _I tried to reason, _They don't even know who you are. _No, they didn't know who I was. I could do this.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. Just as I was beginning to regain control of my body, I looked up and saw Heidi smirking at me again. "Think you can handle this, J? They want to sit in the bar for dinner. I can get Alec to take them if you want?"

"Nah, just give me a minute to get my shit together, okay?" I gave her a half-hearted smile and she nodded.

"I'll let them know you'll be with them shortly." I watched her leave the kitchen and I pulled out my phone to send Edward a quick text.

**You're parents are here.**

I didn't have to wait long for his reply.

**At Volturi's? How long have they been there?**

I typed furiously, knowing I was running out of time.

**Well, I haven't waited on them yet, but they are in my section.**

It took about five seconds for my phone to start vibrating in my hand. "Hello?" I choked out.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I kind of forgot they like to go there on Sundays. It's kind of their thing. If I had remembered I could have warned you."

"No, it's alright. I just sort of panicked. They don't even know me." I closed my eyes for a moment before continuing. "I wish this wasn't their first impression of me."

"Jasper, you make a great first impression; trust me. Do I need to come down there?" Aro chose that moment to make his appearance. He took one look at me and immediately sat on the bench beside me.

"It's okay; I'm okay. I guess I just needed to hear your voice before I do this. What do I say to them?" He had an innate ability to calm me, even over the phone.

"You don't need to say anything other than 'What can I get you to drink?' and 'Enjoy your dinner.' Just be yourself, babe. They'll love you, and I'll bring you around here to see them soon."

"Okay. I'll call later."

"Bye, Jasper."

I no sooner hung up than Aro began asking questions.

"Who was that, Jasper?" He looked genuinely concerned, so I tried my best to put his mind at ease.

"Edward. We're sort of seeing each other. Well, not sort of; we _are_ seeing each other. I kind of panicked when I heard his parents were in my section; I haven't met them yet."

"I see," he said, thoughtfully scratching his chin. "You and Edward, you just met Friday, yes?"

"Yes. We've been nearly inseparable ever since." He looked at me questioningly, and I just shook my head. "I know it's crazy, and I can't really explain it. There's a connection there; it's taken us both by surprise. He wants me to meet his parents, and this isn't exactly the scenario I envisioned."

"Well, nothing out of the ordinary has to occur, Jasper. You just take their order and treat them the same way you treat all of our guests. Then, when you and Edward are ready, he will introduce you as his boyfriend. Tonight, you are just Jasper, the best server I employ."

I smiled, saying, "Thanks, Aro. I needed the pep talk. I better get to it."

All in all, it went better than I expected. I only faltered twice; once when Aro asked them why Edward hadn't joined them and his mother said he must have had an exhausting weekend because he was passed out on the couch when they got home, and then again when she mentioned that Aro had told them I had met Edward on Friday. She expressed that she hoped he and his friends had been gentle with me, and I replied that he had been quite lovely. I'm sure she noticed the blush on my cheeks, but she never said anything about that.

By the time I got home, it was after ten o'clock, and there was a message from Mama on my voicemail. I shot a text to Edward, letting him know that I probably wouldn't get a chance to call tonight, since I needed to talk to my Mama. He sent one back saying that he understood, and requested that I text or call him when I got out of class the next day so we could solidify our dinner plans. We said our good nights, and I dialed the number back home.

Mama picked up on the second ring. "Hey there Jay! How's my baby boy doin'?"

"Good, Mama. How are you? How's Rosie?"

"Well, baby, I can't speak for your sister, but I'm doin' just fine. What's going on in that pretty li'l head of yours, darlin'? I can almost hear your wheels turnin' from here." I swear, my mama knew me better than just about anybody.

"I'm totally happy and scared shitless all at the same time, Mama. I met somebody." I took a moment to let the words sink in. "I met somebody wonderful, and I think he might be the one."

**.......................................................................................................**

**Yeah, so, don't hate me. I know I mentioned something to a few reviewers about whipped cream ......I just don't think we're quite there yet. I will use that idea later on though ;) Feel free to review if you are so inclined....**


	7. Chapter 6

**So, I am total fail at updating on time. I try not to go more than two weeks in between, but this one was a struggle. I have no real excuse, other than RL can be a bitch, but that's nothing new. **

**No song for this chapter, but I've already got one for next chapter...It's gonna be a doozy!**

**As usual, the stuff you recognize belongs to S. Meyer...the plot belongs to me...**

**...**

I couldn't get him out of my head. Granted, I had good reason. It had been the single best weekend of my entire life, and hearing him say that he was feeling the same way...well, let's just say it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

When I left him at the restaurant, I went straight to my parents' house and passed out on the couch. I was exhausted from all of our activities, both in and out of the bedroom. I must have been out of it, because I never heard my mom and dad when they returned from the beach house. In fact, I wouldn't have know they were even back if I hadn't received Jasper's text saying they were at Volturi's for dinner.

I immediately sent a text back, and he replied that they were seated in his section, although he had yet to wait on them. Mortified by what they might say to him, not knowing we were involved, I called him to apologize in advance. He was nervous, and it was kind of cute, if I'm being honest. He was worried that he would make a bad impression on them, setting him up for failure when I finally introduced him as my boyfriend. I tried to reassure him, and it was nice to know that I had a calming effect on him. By the time we hung up, I think he was okay with the situation. I guess I'd find out later if he wasn't.

We didn't get a chance to speak again that evening, but we exchanged texts, confirming our plans to meet for dinner the following night. Sleep, again, eluded me. I just couldn't stop thinking about Jasper- the way he tasted, the feel of his lips wrapped around my cock, the sounds he made when I brought him to orgasm. And it wasn't just the sexual stuff that was invading my mind. He was someone that I actually felt comfortable talking to; I had talked to him about Sam, which was something I hadn't even discussed with my closest friends, and I didn't feel self-conscious discussing my feelings about what was happening between us. Part of me wondered if I was in over my head, but I quickly put those thoughts aside. I made a promise to myself that I would just go with my gut and follow my heart, wherever it might lead.

~*E*~

"So, Edward dear, how was your weekend? I wish we had had more of a chance to catch up before your father and I left for the weekend." My mother had dragged me to her favorite Panera Bread location for lunch. It was really rather funny. My parents were quite well off, but my mother never went anywhere for lunch if she would have to spend more than ten dollars for her soup and half a sandwich. Taking a sip of her diet soda, she watched me, waiting for my reply.

"It was really good actually." I wanted to tell her about Jasper, but I didn't want to spring it on her too quickly. I had hoped I could work up to it a little.

"Hmmm, that's not much of an answer, but I won't pry, dear. I am sorry you weren't able to join us at Volturi's last night, though. We had a lovely dinner," _and here it comes_, "and we had the most delicious waiter. Apparently he's worked there for a while, but never when we've been in. He doesn't quite look your type, but he was just darling."

Obviously I was going to have to just tell her. She wanted nothing more than to see me in a happy, healthy relationship, and as much as she tried not to interfere, she was always hinting about setting me up with this guy or that guy. Boy, she sure would be surprised when she found out I didn't really need her help with Aro's new waiter. "Actually, mom, that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about...I met someone."

She raised her eyes to mine in surprise. "In Chicago?"

I shook my head. "No, here... this weekend." I watched her closely, trying to discern what was going through her head. "Believe me, I know it sounds crazy, but...I just have a feeling about him."

She was looking at me with an expression I didn't recognize. I knew she must be concerned, but I also knew that she trusted my judgement. "Tell me about him," she said with a small smile playing on her lips.

"Well, he's gorgeous, of course; that was the first thing I noticed, but it's much more than that. He's incredibly intelligent; he's earning his Master's in American History from Northeastern. He's friendly, genuine; he loves his mother and his sister. He's a really wonderful man, and I can't wait for you to meet him." I knew I must have had the goofiest grin on my face; how could I help grinning from ear to ear when talking about Jasper? He made me happier these last few days than I could ever remember feeling. I looked up to meet my mother's eyes and she was smiling at me.

"I'm looking forward to meeting the man who put that smile on your face," she said as she squeezed my hand gently. Something behind me must have caught her eye, because she was suddenly not paying any attention to me at all. "Well, speak of the devil...," she said under her breath before standing and waving to whomever it was she had seen. "Jasper? What a nice surprise!"

I was suddenly frozen, confused as to what had just happened. I turned to where she was looking, and was met with a completely stunned looking Jasper, coffee in hand and rooted to the ground beneath him. He was breathtaking; dressed in faded, low-slung jeans and a tight gray t-shirt with his Doc Martens, and a messenger bag draped across his body. His eyes were darting back and forth between my mother and myself, and the apprehension in his face was radiating through his entire body. When his gaze finally locked in on me I smiled brightly at him. His whole being seemed to relax and his answering smile lit up his face.

He started walking towards us, and I glanced back at my mom and noticed the look of confusion on her face. "Mom," I started. "This...," I paused, turning back to Jasper. I reached for his hand and laced my fingers through his, squeezing gently. "This is my Jasper," I almost whispered, smiling at the beautiful man standing beside me. It felt, for a moment, as if time had stopped- as if Jasper and I were in our own little bubble, and everyone outside could not reach us there. Our eyes were locked in a tender gaze, and it wasn't until he gave me a lopsided grin and looked down at our linked hands that the spell was broken.

"Well, well, well...," my mother mumbled, drawing my attention back to the crowded sidewalk around us. "Jasper, dear, it seems we were just talking about you! It's lovely to see you again."

"You, too, Mrs. Cullen," Jasper said, smiling shyly at her.

"Please dear, call me Esme. As I was saying, Edward and I were just talking about his weekend, and he was telling me about this lovely young man he met. It seems he's quite smitten." I could feel the blush spreading across my cheeks at my mother's words, and I could see her smirking at me out of the corner of my eye. I chanced a glance over at Jasper, who was grinning widely at me.

"Smitten? Really?" he asked, leaning in to me just a little.

"I didn't use those _exact _words," I replied, giving my mom my best dirty look, "but, yeah. That was the general idea."

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze and leaned in again, kissing my cheek softly before whispering in my ear, "Me too, darlin'."

"Can you join us?" my mother asked genuinely.

"No, unfortunately," he replied shyly. "I'm actually on my way to a study group with a couple from my class. I just stopped for my caffeine fix on my way back to the library. But, thank you for the offer." Turning back to face me, he tilted his head to one side and asked, "How do you feel about sushi?"

I chuckled and said, "I love sushi. Did you have someplace in mind?"

"Yeah; new place, not far from here. My friend Jess recommended it." He reached for my hand once more, tracing his thumb over my knuckles. "Call or text me when you get home and we can solidify our plans. I'll probably be at the library for a couple of hours yet." He gave my hand one last squeeze as he started to back away. "Mrs. Cul- I mean, Esme, it was lovely to see you again ma'am."

"You too, Jasper. Oh! Before you go, dear, we'd love to have you for dinner sometime this week. Is there a night that works better for you?" I knew my mom would want the chance to get to know him a little better, and that my father would definitely be wanting to meet him as well.

"Um, Wednesday, maybe? I may have to work on Thursday evening, but Aro never calls on days I have a class, so Wednesday would probably be best."

"Lovely, dear. Wednesday it is. I'll let Edward know the details later and he can fill you in." She smiled brightly at me, her approval obvious on her face. "See you soon, Jasper!"

"G'bye, ma'am. See you later, babe!" he said with a wave and a glowing smile on his lips. I raised my hand in return, and watched him until he was out of sight.

"He's wonderful, Edward," my mom said softly, pulling me out of my Jasper-induced haze.

"I know, mom. Believe me, I know."

~*E*~

Mom and I parted ways after we finished lunch; she had some business to attend to, and I wanted to do a little shopping before my date with Jasper. Just as I was thinking that it would be great to have a second opinion on the jeans I was considering, my phone began vibrating in my pocket.

"Hey, Alice," I smiled. "I was just thinking about you!"

"Oh really? And why, pray tell, haven't I heard from you since Friday evening?" _Shit. _I should have known Alice would want details about what had happened after I left the bar with Jasper the other night. And honestly, normally she would have had them already. Alice was more like a little sister than a cousin to me, and we had always had the kind of relationship where we shared just about everything. But I had been so wrapped up in Jasper, and the intensity of my feelings for him, that it hadn't even occurred to me to call her.

I sighed, trying to think of a good excuse, but I just didn't have one. "I'm sorry, Ally. I want to tell you all about it, but it's kind of a long story, and I'm not sure I can do it justice over the phone."

"We could meet for coffee, if you have time?" she replied quickly. "I'm on Newberry right now. Where are you?"

"Fanueil Hall- the Gap, to be exact. Meet me at Quincy in the food court? I still have a couple of hours before I need to head home to get ready."

"Why, Edward- do you have a date tonight?" she teased.

"Just get your little tush down here and I'll tell you all about it!"

I decided to go ahead and get the jeans- I saw the sales clerk checking out my ass and deduced that they must look pretty good- and grabbed a couple of graphic tees before heading for the registers. Once I had payed for my items, I grabbed my bag and headed back toward the marketplace to wait for Alice.

As usual, she came in practically bouncing; I swear I had never seen anyone with as much energy as the little pixie before me. "Hey cuz!" she called when she was within range. She wrapped her arms around me in a quick hug before settling in the seat beside me to enjoy her iced mocha. "So...," she started, trying to draw me out.

"I am sorry, you know," I answered.

"S'okay. But now that I'm here, you can fill me in on all the gory details!" she said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I laughed heartily, and shook my head as I wondered aloud, "Where should I start?" She just rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair, waiting. "From the beginning, I take it?"

She nodded eagerly, and I began regaling her with the details of my weekend with Jasper. When I was finished, I looked over and saw that she was grinning from ear to ear. "You're in love," she stated happily.

"What? No, I-" I stuttered nervously. "Ally, it's way too soon to be saying that. Yes, our feelings are intense and a little overwhelming, but love? No...not yet, anyways." I wondered, though, if that would explain the ache I felt when I was away from him, or the anxiety we had both felt when we parted the day before. Could this be love? I had never been in love before, so I had nothing to compare it to.

"Edward," she uttered cautiously, "look at me. What exactly _do_ you feel for him?"

I sighed, trying to find a way to put my feelings into words. "I want to be with him...all the time. And I miss him when we're not together. When he touches me- no forget that, when he _looks_ at me, it feels like the rest of the world slips away and it's just us." I thought carefully about what I had just admitted to Alice before continuing. "You know how my dad always says that when he met my mom it was love at first sight?" I asked, and she nodded in return. "But my mom's story is totally different. She always says that it wasn't so much love at first sight for her, but more that she felt something, deep in her soul, that told her that this man would change her life forever._ That's _how I feel; I can't define my feelings in words. I just know that I feel like my life is changing, and that Jasper is the reason. Does that make _any _sense?"

"It makes perfect sense, and I'm extremely jealous. Have you told your parents?"

"Mom and I ran into him at lunch, so she got to officially meet him. I think he was nervous after seeing them last night, but it went really well." I smiled, remembering the approving look on my mother's face.

"And he's received Esme's endorsement, I presume?" she asked, a small smirk on her lips.

"Of course!" I replied. "I mean, _you've_ seen him; what's not to love?"

~*E*~

I finally made it back home, and was just getting ready to call Jasper when my phone started buzzing again.

**Just got home from library. You still out with mom?**

I smiled, wondering if he was getting anxious about not hearing from me yet.

**Nope. Just got back myself. So, sushi?**

I flipped the phone closed and headed to my bedroom to put my new purchases away in the closet. I was trying to decide which shirt I would wear for our date when I heard my phone ringing on my bed.

"Jasper," I breathed when I answered his call.

"I miss you," was his whispered reply.

"Hmmmm, me too. What time are we leaving?" I asked, anxious to see his sweet face again.

"Around six, maybe? I figured we could take the T in again, unless you'd rather drive?"

I really didn't feel like driving around trying to find parking spots, so I told him that the T would be fine.

"You can always come over whenever you're ready," he said quietly. I bit my lip, not sure if I should ask the question that was on the tip of my tongue. As if he could read my mind, he continued, "And maybe you should bring a bag, or something, with some clothes or whatever...in case you wanted to stay over again, or, well, you know."

"Do you have any idea how cute it is that you're still shy with me, after everything we did over the weekend? Of course I want to stay over, Jasper, as long as you want me there." I heard him take a deep breath and let it out before he confirmed that he really did want me to stay at his place. "Well, then, I'm going to get a few things together and get cleaned up a little, and then I'll head over. Give me an hour?"

I could hear the smile in his voice as he replied, "I can hardly wait."

One hour later, I found myself in front of Jasper's building, dressed in my new jeans, a light green button-up, and my favorite leather slip-ons. He buzzed me into the building, and I once again rode the elevator to his third-floor apartment. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight I was presented with when I stepped out of the lift and turned towards Jasper's door.

He was standing in the doorframe, waiting for me, looking all kinds of sexy._ Damn_, I thought to myself, _we may never make it out of here tonight_. He smiled knowingly as I let my eyes wander over his body. Once again, he was dressed in low-slung jeans, although in a darker wash this time. He had paired them with a light blue button up and a gray vest, which he left open, only proving to accentuate the tantalizing bulge in the front of his pants. I swallowed thickly, wondering if he really had his heart set on going out.

Reaching for my hand as I approached, he took my bag from my hand and set it down beside him, pulled me close, and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. Placing one hand on his chest, I snaked the other around the back of his neck and gently pulled his mouth to mine, relishing his sweet taste once more. "God, I missed you," I whispered against his lips. I kissed him again softly, tracing my tongue along his full bottom lip, and nibbled gently on it before releasing him.

He gave a little chuckle, and then pulled me by the hand, saying, "Get in here, beautiful. I'm just about ready." I followed him into the living room, and sat on the couch, where we had spent Friday evening grinding against each other. The memories of that night and everything that came after were not helping the situation in my pants.

He came back in the room so quietly I hadn't heard him. "I know what you're thinking," he said softly. I just gazed at him, quirking an eyebrow in response to his statement. He stalked towards me slowly as he began to speak again. "You're thinking we should just stay in; maybe order some take out and get comfortable." A small smile played at his lips, and I couldn't help but grin back.

"You know me so well already," I whispered.

"Maybe I do," he replied, kneeling in front of me and taking my face in his hands. Brushing his thumbs gently across my cheekbones, he placed a tender kiss on my waiting lips. "I just...we need to go out and do things, baby. I don't want you to think that all I want to do is fool around all the time; I want so much more than that with you." He looked at me nervously, his eyes darting back and forth between my own, trying to gauge my reaction to his words.

"I know," I breathed. "I feel the same way. It's just hard 'cause I just want to _touch_ you, and I have a hard time controlling myself sometimes."

"You think I don't?" he asked. "I want nothing more than to take you in my room right now, take off all of your clothes, and fuck you into oblivion, but when we finally take that step...Edward, I just...I want it to _mean_ something, for _both_ of us."

I thought back to my earlier conversation with Alice, and wondered again, _is this what love feels like? Could I be in love with him already?_ I didn't know for sure; the only thing I knew was that I wanted this man in so many ways, more than I had ever wanted anyone or anything in my entire life. "Me too, Jasper, and it will, I promise you that."

He smiled and kissed me once more before standing and pulling me up with him. "We should get going, or I might starve to death," he said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood between us.

"Well," I replied, "we can't have that. Lead the way, beautiful."

All in all, it was a good night. The sushi was fantastic, and we ended up sitting in the restaurant for a little more than two hours, just nibbling on our food and talking, about everything and nothing at the same time. We wandered through a few shops, just enjoying the weather outside and each other's company, before deciding to catch the T back to Lechmere station. Before we knew it we were back at Jasper's place.

We fell together into his bed, a tangle of limbs and clothing, both frantic to reconnect in a way we had not been able to earlier. And when we were both fully sated, we drifted happily into sleep, wrapped tightly around one another once more.

**...**

**I know, I know...sorry for the lack of lemonade this chapter. Next one will DEFINITELY make up for it ;)**

**Leave me some love...This story made it over 100 reviews with the last chapter, and while that may not seem like alot, it's a record for me. I love hearing what you all think :)**

**Til next time...E**


	8. Chapter 7

**Firstly, I need to apologize. I was really hoping to get this out much sooner. The first third of the chapter was a struggle. So much so that I wrote the ending first, and then went back for the rest. I think I finally got it right.**

**A couple of quick thank yous: To rmhale, thanks so much for sharing David and Roman...they were incredibly inspiring. To ICMezzo, PerfectlyPersuasive, Ms. Agget, and all the other girls (and boys) that WC'd with me during the last couple of weeks. And lastly, to Meikela22 for pre-reading and acting as defacto-beta for this chapter. You all rock my socks!**

**And to all the amazing writers out there who continue to feed my love of all things slash...If my readers get half as excited for my updates as I do for all of yours, then maybe I'm doing something right after all! **

**Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight related. I own two worn out copies of Breaking Dawn, and an insatiable crush on Keith Urban.**

**...**

_Love doesn't come with a contract  
You give me this I give you that  
It's scary business  
Your heart and soul is on the line  
Baby why else would I be standing 'round here  
So tongue-tied_

Baby come on in the water's fine  
I'll be right here you take your time  
Just let me hold you  
And we'll both take that leap of faith  
It's like I told you there's no guarantees when  
You feel this way

Baby come here next to me  
I'll show you how good it can be  
I'll breathe each breath you breathe  
I can pour out everything I am  
Everything I am

Oh and if I knew what I was doing  
I'd be doing it right now  
I would be the best damn poet  
Silver words out of my mouth  
Well my words might not be magic  
But they cut straight to the truth  
So if you need a lover and a friend  
Yeah if you need a lover and a friend  
Baby I'm in, I'm in  
Baby I'm in, I'm in

Baby come here next to me  
I'll show you how good it can be  
I'll breathe each breath you breathe  
I can pour out everything I am  
Baby come here next to me  
I'll show you how good it can be  
Baby come here next to me  
I'll show you how good it can be  
Baby come here, baby come here, baby come here

_"I'm In"_ -as performed by Keith Urban

**Chapter 7**

**JPOV**

I was standing in front of my closet, my suitcase open on the bed, trying to decide what the hell to pack. Running my fingers through my messy curls, I scratched the back of my head and sighed, trying to remember just exactly how I had gotten myself into this situation.

_Dinner seemed to be going well; Edward's parents were very warm and welcoming, and I could easily see myself spending time with them again. As it turns out, Dr. Cullen, who insisted that I call him Carlisle, was a bit of a history buff himself, so he spent most of dinner peppering me with questions about school and the classes I enjoyed the most. _

_"I hear Edward took you on a tour of the Freedom Trail over the weekend?" he asked curiously._

_"Yes sir, he did. I still can't believe I had never taken the time to do it before; Edward was a great tour guide, and I finally got the chance to really explore the city." I smiled warmly at him as he gave my leg a gentle squeeze under the table. _

_"Do you have any plans, dear, for the Fourth of July holiday next week?" Esme asked between bites of the exquisite cheesecake she had made for dessert._

_"To be honest, I hadn't even thought about it." And I hadn't, really. The previous summer I had been getting ready to move to Boston, so I was home in Texas with my family over the holiday, and I told her as much._

_"So you're not going to see you're family this summer, Jasper?" she queried._

_"Well,actually, I just found out last night that they are planning a trip up here for a few days in early August, before my sister has to go back to school." _

_Edward, eyeing me curiously, spoke up. "You didn't tell me that, babe."_

_I gave him a reassuring smile and replied, "Well, like I said, I just found out last night, and to be honest, it slipped my mind 'til just now." I brushed my thumb gently along the edge of his jaw before adding quietly, "They can't wait to meet you, by the way."_

_His eyes brightened at my words. "Really?" he asked. "You told them about us?"_

_I laughed softly at his surprise. "Of course I did, Edward. I couldn't wait to tell Mama about you, and besides, I don't keep any secrets from her and Rose. Mama was really happy to hear that I was dating, and she's very anxious to meet you."_

_"I'm looking forward to it," he said with a smile._

_Esme cleared her throat, bringing our attention back to present. "Well, since you don't have any plans for next week, we'd love to have both of you out at the beach house for the weekend, if you'd like."_

In the end, we had decided to stay in the city for the Fourth of July festivities, and then head to the Cape the following morning. This was how I found myself, one short week later, staring into my closet without a clue.

Just then I heard footsteps and felt warm arms wrap around my waist. "It's not like we're going to the moon, babe; it's a beach house. You need swim trunks, a couple of t-shirts and a pair of khakis or something," he teased, placing an open-mouthed kiss on the back of my neck.

I sighed, relaxing into his arms. "I know, it's just...your parents have been so nice. I just want to make a good impression."

"You've got nothing to worry about; they absolutely adore you. I swear, my dad would want you for himself if he were single, gay, and about twenty years younger!" I laughed out loud at his response and relaxed into his body a little bit more. He murmured softly against my ear, "Let's save this for the morning; we need to get going soon if we're going to make it on time."

We had made plans to meet some of Edward's friends, including his cousins Alice and Emmett, at Volturi's. There was a carnival at one of the local schools, and Alice decided that it would be fun for us all to go as a group. It had been Edward's suggestion to meet for dinner first, and Volturi's was a natural choice for us all.

The others were already seated in the dining room when we arrived. Edward and I took our seats between Ben and Alice, who was seated to my right, and I was introduced to his friends for the second time in two weeks. This, however, was a smaller group than the first night, so there were only eight of us including Edward and myself. Everyone quickly fell into conversation as we waited to order our food and drinks.

When dinner had finally been ordered and our drinks had been placed on the table, I began to settle in to my surroundings. These people were an important part of Edward's life, and I wanted to know them, and for them to know me. Edward squeezed my hand under the table and leaned over to kiss my jaw, just under my ear. In a hushed tone he murmured, "It looks like Alice's attempt at matchmaking may finally be paying off." I looked at him, slightly confused, but he just smiled before continuing. "Alice has been trying to get Seth and Bella together for years, but for one reason or another, it never worked out."

I nodded in understanding and turned to whisper in his ear. "They look like they are on a first date."

"What are you two whispering about?" Alice asked from my other side.

Edward leaned into me and replied, "I was just commenting to Jasper that your efforts may finally be paying off." He subtly tipped his head in the direction of the couple in question, and Alice's knowing smirk confirmed our suspicions.

"They've been out a couple of times in the last week or so. Who knows? Maybe the timing is finally right for them."

Conversation continued to flow, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. It wasn't very long before our food arrived at the table. Everyone was quiet for a few minutes as we began to eat, but it didn't take long for things to pick up where they had left off.

"So Jasper," Emmett said, "Is it weird for you to come in here as a customer? We never even took that into consideration when Ed suggested coming here for dinner."

I smiled and shook my head, wiping gingerly at my mouth with my napkin. "Actually, no, it's not. That's kinda how I ended up working here in the first place." Emmett nodded as I continued. "See, when I moved here last year, I didn't know anybody, and I was sort of at a disadvantage, what, with living so far from campus and all. I found myself coming in here for dinner once or twice a week, and I eventually got to know Aro and the staff pretty well. When I came back from visiting my family at Christmas, I heard from Heidi that one of the waiters had quit and they were desperate to hire somebody to fill in. I offered up my services, and I've been here ever since."

Edward placed his arm over the back of my chair and leaned in to kiss my cheek. "Lucky for me," he murmured.

I turned to him and smiled, giving his knee a gentle squeeze as I replied, "I'm the lucky one, darlin'." I heard the clearing of throats just as I brushed my lips against Edward's, and he chuckled at the sound. I could feel myself blush as I faced forward in my chair, and looked up to see six pairs of eyes focused on us, all clearly showing their approval.

Alice reached out and laid her hand over mine on the table. "I'm really glad you two found each other," she said softly, a small smile gracing her lips. She looked over at Edward, then back to me and said, "It's nice to see him happy finally."

The rest of dinner was uneventful by comparison, the conversation flowing freely as Edward and I continued to steal kisses and hold hands under the table. It was obvious how deeply everyone cared about him, and I was glad that they seemed to have accepted me into their group. When our plates had been cleared and the bill finally paid, we decided we would walk the five blocks to where the carnival was being held.

I had never really been one for carnival rides, and as I listened to the others talk, I began to get a little nervous. I knew Edward would be understanding, but I really didn't want to have to explain my irrational fear of heights to him. Luckily, Emmett saved me by dragging Edward onto the scarier rides, while Alice and I watched from a safe distance.

"You really are good for him, you know," she said, continuing to watch as the boys went round and round on the Zipper. "I've never seen him so happy, so free."

"I'm glad you approve," I replied with a wink. "He makes me happy, too."

She looked at me thoughtfully for a few moments. "Have you told him yet?"

"Told him what?" I asked.

"That you love him, silly!" She just smiled and shook her head. "I swear, sometimes you boys are so thick that you can't even see what's right in front of your face!" She chuckled to herself as she started to walk away. "Think about it Jasper; you know I'm right. Tell him!"

My mind was reeling. How could she possibly know that? Was I that obvious? Sure, I had told mama that I thought he was the one for me, but to say that I loved him after such a short time? That was a huge leap that I wasn't sure I was ready to make.

We spent the better part of the evening wandering around the fair, occasionally stopping to play games or grab a snack. I found myself lost in my own head quite a bit, and I was sure Edward noticed. He kept glancing sideways at me, and whenever I caught him, he would squeeze my hand gently. I didn't know what to say; my words all seemed to be stuck in my throat. Did he know? How would he react if I told him? Did he feel the same? What if he didn't?

The endless cycle of questions running through my mind was making me feel a little crazy. I tried to put it all out of my head and just have fun, but I was struggling. It wasn't until Edward was buckling us in that I realized I had agreed to go on the ferris wheel with him, which I never would have done under normal circumstances.

"Are you okay, baby?" he asked, obviously concerned.

"Yeah," I replied nervously. "It's just...I'm...I'm kinda...I'msortofafraidofheights," I mumbled.

"Aww, baby, I'm sorry. Why didn't you say anything before?" he asked, lacing his fingers through mine as the ride began to move.

I swallowed thickly as I tried to form a reply. "Kind of embarrassing," I mumbled.

He threw his arm around my shoulder and held me tightly. "I'll try and keep your mind off it, okay?" I somehow found the strength to nod my head, trying not to look at the ground which was now getting farther and farther away from me. The car came to a stop at the top of the ride, letting others climb on board while we were suspended in the air. My heart was pounding, and I could feel the cold sweat settling on the surface of my skin. It was getting harder to breath before I realized that I was having a panic attack.

"Jas, baby, look at me," Edward said authoritatively, his voice sounding muddled to me in my anxious state. "Breathe, Jas," he continued, as I tried to suck in a deep breath to calm myself. "Baby, please look at me, okay?" I nodded in reply and tried to force a small smile. He smiled in return and continued to try and help me relax. "Stay still, okay? I just want to try one thing..."

I was suddenly breathing again, and heavily, I might add. Edward was staring at my lips as he traced my lower one with his finger. I never even noticed that the ride was moving again because I was so caught up in the fact that he was moving closer. I watched as he licked his lips, his eyes suddenly meeting mine as he whispered, "Stay very still," and then his lips were on mine, and I completely forgot that I was even on the Ferris wheel. He kissed my softly, and then with more pressure, teasing me with his tongue as I opened my mouth to him. He continued to kiss me languorously, completely taking my mind off of where we were and what we were doing, and without me even realizing it, the ride came to an end.

He pulled away and smiled brightly at me, his grin lighting up his entire face. "Was that enough of a distraction?" he asked innocently.

"I- I..." _I love you, _I thought to myself, and the words felt right. I sighed, returning his smile and replied, "Yeah, thanks."

"Hey," he said. "It's just about time to head down to the pier for the fireworks. We should go find the others." He reached for my hand, lacing our fingers together once more, and led me in the general direction of the gaming booths. I remained quiet, trying my best to figure out just how long I would be able to keep my new revalation to myself.

~*J*~

"Baby, what is it? Don't try and tell me it's nothing; you've been acting weird since we left the carnival." He knew me so well. What the fuck was I supposed to say? _Edward, I've only known you for a couple of weeks, but I'm madly in love with you? _Sure- _that_ would go over well. He'd probably run screaming for the hills.

"Seriously, Edward, I'm fine. Don't make a big deal out of nothing, okay?" I could see the hurt on his face at my words, and I was mentally kicking myself for putting it there. I just wanted us to have a good night, and not only had I hurt his feelings, but I was deathly afraid that I was going to have to tell him what was really on my mind.

"Fine, Jasper," he hissed. "I won't make a big deal out of anything. But if you don't want to be here with me, then why did you come tonight?" His eyes were burning, waiting for me to answer his question, and when my answer didn't come quickly enough, he huffed and turned on his heel, walking away from me.

"Shit!" I cursed. "Baby, wait! Please?" I begged, trying to catch up with him. "Edward, wait! I promise you that there is nowhere on this earth I would rather be right now than here with you!" He stopped in his tracks and turned to face me again. The hurt was still there in his eyes, but now it was mixed with confusion as well.

I watched as his hands clenched into fists before relaxing at his side. "Then what is it? Damn it, Jasper! I know we haven't known each other very long, but we've been nothing but honest up until now. I _know_ you, Jasper, just like you know me, and I can tell that something is up with you. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me- it's like you're conflicted or something." He took a step towards me and reached for me, cupping my face in his hands. "Please, baby, just tell me what it is that's got you so freaked out?"

He held my face like a vice, refusing to look away and forcing me to see every emotion he was feeling in that moment. "Fuck!" I muttered, shaking my head to try and clear my mind. "This is all so fucked up, I didn't want to do this tonight." I lifted my eyes to meet his again and the hurt was back. If there was one thing I knew for sure in that moment, it was that I never wanted to see that look on his beautiful face ever again. I wasn't sure if I could make this right, and I wasn't sure how he would react to what I was going to tell him, but I knew I had to tell him anyway.

"I've only known you for a couple of weeks, Edward. Not even! It's been twelve days- TWELVE FUCKING DAYS! I have never in my life felt the things I have felt since meeting you. I want things with you that I never even knew I wanted." My voice was giving away the panic that I felt, and I grabbed his belt loops and pulled him a little closer, just needing the extra connection with him before I could continue. "I can't even find the words to tell you how much you've changed my life in the short time we've been together. You're everything I have ever wanted, and all the things I never knew I was looking for."

My voice was raw and needy sounding, and he searched my eyes as I tried to calm myself down. He furrowed his brow and bit his lip as he brushed his thumbs across my cheeks, wiping away the tears I didn't even know were falling. "I know it's fucking crazy, and I know it's too soon; you'll probably run screaming when I say this, Edward, but I need to tell you. I don't think I can keep it to myself anymore."

"Please, baby, _what is it?" _Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was aware of the throngs of people now surrounding us, and of the fireworks that had started erupting overhead. But none of that mattered; my only thoughts were for the beautiful man standing before me, and I held onto him for dear life.

Pressing my forehead to his, I closed my eyes tightly, trying to find my courage. I opened them again, took a deep breath, and gazed into his bright green eyes as I whispered, "I love you, Edward."

**EPOV**

I couldn't speak. My mind was blank. This amazing man in front of me had just admitted that he was in love with me. Maybe I was in shock, I couldn't be sure, but for some reason, I just could not get my mouth to work in that moment.

We continued to stare at each other, neither of us saying a word, and I could see the panic rising in his eyes.

"Fuck, Edward," he muttered. "I knew I shouldn't have told you so soon. I don't expect you to say it back, baby, but _please_, say _something_."

"You love me?" I questioned. "You're _in love_ with me?"

"Yes," he whispered, his shoulders falling slightly. I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was staring at the ground, still holding me tightly at the waist. I realized suddenly that my lack of response must have felt like a rejection to him. I moved my hands from his shoulders back to cup his jaw.

"Jas, baby...look at me?" He slowly raised his eyes to meet mine and I could see all of his fear and uncertainty looking back at me. I knew without a doubt how I felt about him, but I was in shock that he had no idea. _How could he not know? _

"I get it, Edward. You don't have to say anything." I could see the unshed tears pooling in the corners of his eyes, and I swallowed thickly, shaking my head in frustration.

"No, Jasper, you don't!" I said emphatically. I pressed my lips against his softly once, and then again more forcefully. I rested my forehead against his again, never releasing my hold on his face as I whispered, "I love you, too."

"Really?" he asked.

Chuckling, I answered, "Yes, really. And do you know what I think?"

He kissed me enthusiastically, murmuring against my lips, "What? What do you think, darlin'?"

I pulled back a little so I could look him in the eye. "I think you should take me home." He growled- actually growled- at my response, grabbing my hand as he nodded his head and turned towards home.

~*E*~

He took my hand and led me to his bedroom, shutting the door behind us as we entered. Neither of us had said a word since we left the pier, and the urge to kiss him was suddenly so overwhelming that I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him to me, kissing him hungrily as I gently squeezed his ass.

"Say it again," I whispered against his kiss-swollen lips.

Cradling my face in his hands, he pulled back just far enough to look into my eyes. "I love you," he said, his voice rich with emotion.

"I love you, too," I replied softly, gazing deeply into his beautiful gray-blue eyes before meeting his lips once more with my own. I sat down on the edge of his bed, pulling him close as we continued to kiss and caress each other tenderly. Every kiss- every touch of our hands- was filled with the depth of our feelings for one another. There was no desperation, no hurried movements, no rush at all to reach a release of any kind. There was only love, and an understanding that we would take our time and enjoy the sensations that our new revelations were creating between us.

Lacing our fingers together, he gently pushed me back onto the bed, climbing up on top of me and straddling my hips. He trailed wet kisses along my jaw until he reached my neck, and I tilted my head away to give him better access. He knew exactly where to nip and suck at the skin to drive me crazy, and before long, my hips were rolling against him. Bringing his lips back to mine, he greedily sought out my tongue with his own, tasting and teasing before sucking on it gently. A soft moan escaped my lips as I breathed, "I love you, Jasper, so much."

He pulled me back into a sitting position while he continued to rock his hips against my straining, jean-clad erection. He groaned into my mouth when I grabbed him and pulled him tightly against the sensitive flesh. "Never..." he muttered, "I never wanted...never wanted anybody l-like this before, Edward."

I didn't respond with words. Instead, I tugged his shirt free of his jeans and began slowly undoing the buttons, my lips never leaving his for more than a second or two. The need to taste him- to _feel_ him-was growing stronger by the minute, and he was still wearing far too many clothes. When I was finished opening his shirt, I ran my palms slowly over the planes of his chest, using my fingers to trace small circles around his nipples. I loved the way they pebbled under my touch, and I couldn't resist taking one of them in my mouth and tugging gently with my teeth as I flicked the taut flesh with my tongue.

"Fuck, that feels good," he whispered in my ear, sending a shiver through my whole body. Feeling like I needed more control, I grabbed his ass and moved to stand. Sensing my intention, Jasper wrapped his legs around my waist as I got to my feet and turned us, laying him back on the bed beneath me. He pushed me back up slightly and tugged his shirt down over his arms, tossing it on the floor beside the bed. "Your turn," he said with a grin. He made quick work of my buttons and soon my shirt was pooled on the floor with his own.

I reached for him, sliding my arms under his shoulders, and attacked his lips hungrily. He wrapped his legs back around my waist and pulled our hips together, eliciting a groan from deep in my chest. Grabbing his hands, I pushed them up over his head and continued rocking my pelvis against him. We were both panting as I pulled back just enough to reach the button on his jeans. He bit his lip in an effort to hide his smile as he watched me slide his pants down past his ankles. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him laying there in his black briefs. It's not like I hadn't seen him naked before; for the last two weeks we had done everything _but _have sex. Tonight was different; we were in love, and we were about to show that love in the most intimate of ways. I swallowed hard and took a shaky breath to calm myself. "You're so beautiful," I whispered reverently.

He smiled as he scooted back on the bed. "You're not so bad yourself, darlin'," he answered me softly. "Now, come over here so I can show you how much I want you."

I crawled back up on to the bed and buried my face between his thighs, relishing in his scent as I gently nuzzled my nose against his balls. Even through the layer of fabric he made my mouth water. As I slowly made my way up his abdomen, leaving a trail of wet kisses in my wake, he reached for me, and I abandoned my ministrations to kiss him passionately on the mouth. I felt his careful hands begin to work at the button on my jeans as he rolled us over so that he was on top of me. "These need to come off...now," he said, his voice low and rough. He pulled my pants and briefs down over my hips, exposing my rock-hard dick, and immediately took me in his mouth, swallowing around my head when it hit the back of his throat.

"Fuck!" I cried out as he began bobbing up and down on my cock.

Pulling off with a pop, he smirked and replied, "Soon, baby, but I'm not quite done playing with you yet." He went back to work, trailing his tongue firmly down the underside of my dick, and then sucking my balls into his mouth, one at a time. I tried to sit up, wanting to watch what he was doing, but he pushed me back down, kissing me forcefully. I grabbed at his ass, sliding one hand inside his briefs to squeeze his round cheek. He moaned loudly at the sensation, and I took it as encouragement as I let my other hand follow, slowly removing the last physical barrier between us. I pulled at his hips as he tried to kick his underwear off the rest of the way. When he was finally free, I gave one more pull and buried his cock deep in my throat.

He grabbed the headboard to steady himself as I continued working his dick with my tongue, and he began to rock his hips slowly, setting a pace that would work for us both. "Shit, Edward...I love the way your lips feel wrapped around my cock," he said breathlessly as he continued to fuck my face. I squeezed his ass hard as I moaned around him, causing his breath to hitch in his throat. He pulled himself out of my mouth and moved back, settling himself between my legs. "Tell me what you want, baby," he whispered against my lips. "I'll do anything for you."

Gazing into his eyes once more, I could feel myself on the verge of tears. I loved this man, a man I hadn't even known until just recently, and he was offering himself to me. I had never felt so overwhelmingly happy in my entire life. I placed a chaste kiss on his lips before dipping my tongue into his waiting mouth. "Make love to me, Jasper," I whispered between kisses. I felt his whole body shudder at my words, and I buried my face in his neck as I murmured, "Please, make love to me."

**JPOV**

"Make love to me, Jasper," he murmured. Hearing those words fall from his lips made me tremble with need, want, lust...love. I had never in my life felt so strongly about another person; I loved him, and I wanted nothing more in that moment than to show him with my body just how much I needed and wanted him. So, when he asked me again, I looked into his eyes and smiled. I pulled myself up on to my knees and tugged on Edward's hip, encouraging him to roll over on his stomach. He grinned at me mischeiviously as he complied, and as he settled himself on the bed, I began to massage his beautiful ass.

I leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on each of the dimples at the base of his spine, and gently pulled his hips up off the bed. Sensing my intention, he rocked back on his knees, opening himself to me. I moaned softly as I used my hands to spread his cheeks, and trailed my tongue languorously from his balls up to the tender flesh of his entrance. He groaned loudly as I repeated this pattern several times before probing his entrance with my tongue. "Fuck, Jas...good...shit..." he mumbled incoherently as he pushed his ass back into my face. I placed one firm, wet kiss between his cheeks, and then crawled over him to reach into my bedside table, retrieving a condom and bottle of lube. Squirting some of the liquid into my hand, I carefully began to prep him for me.

"So tight," I whispered. "How long has it been, babe, since you bottomed?" I didn't want to dredge up the past, but I was curious; I didn't want to do anything that might cause him pain.

"Too long," he muttered. "More than a year. Fuck, that feels good, baby. I can't wait to feel your cock inside of me." He began to push back against my hand as I added a second, then a third finger, stretching him slowly. "Please, Jas, I'm ready...I need you, please..."

"You _are_ ready for me, aren't you?" I removed my fingers and he whimpered at the loss, raising his hips in the air again while resting his head on his forearms. Reaching for the condom, I opened the foil packet and carefully rolled it down my length, adding a little more lube once it was securely in place. "I'll go slow darlin', just let me know if I hurt you, okay?"

"I trust you, Jasper; you won't hurt me." The love I saw in his eyes at that moment filled me with joy, and I knew without a doubt that I was ready- that _we_ were ready for this. He layed his head back down on his arm and then wiggled his ass playfully at me. "Now, why don't you just fuck me already?"

I laughed at his statement and replied, "Well, when you put it like that..." Pressing my head against his entrance, I slowly began pushing myself into him. We both groaned as I continued to fill him inch by inch, until I could feel my thighs pressed up against his ass. I stilled my movements, giving us both time to adjust to the new sensation. All I could focus on was his tight heat enveloping me completely, and I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself so that I wouldn't cum before we had even started. "Fuck, Edward," I whispered against his back. "You feel so good, baby." I kissed him tenderly between his shoulder blades, still trying to recover my control.

He began to slowly rock his hips, begging me. "Move, babe, please? Fuck, I need you to move...feels so fucking good."

I slowly pulled out until just the head of my cock was still inside of him, and then thrust back in, eliciting a growl from Edward. "Fuck...God, Ed, you're so fucking tight..." I muttered, "I love the way my cock feels buried in your ass!" I set a slow pace, reveling in the sensation of our bodies moving together. In...out...in...out...in...out; he met me thrust for thrust, driving his hips back against mine each time I pressed forward. Groaning loudly, I growled, "Faster...,need to go faster, baby."

"Fuck, yeah," he said breathlessly, "Fuck me harder, Jas." We built up a steady rythym, but I could feel the coil in my belly tightening, and I was nowhere near ready to be done with this yet.

Laying myself across his back, I pushed his body down into the mattress. "Feels so good, baby...too good...so close...need to slow down," my words spilled out incoherently. I splayed my hands out over his and laced our fingers together, moving our locked hands up over his head on the bed. We moved together slowly, trying to come back from the brink of climax to drag out the experience as much as possible. Pulling out of him carefully, I kissed his lower back once and whispered, "Roll over, darlin'. I want to see your face when you come."

"Fuck," he muttered as he turned to lay on his back. "Remind me again why we waited to do this?" he said, moaning as I entered him again.

Leaning in to kiss him, I rolled my hips forward so that I was fully seated within him. With a soft grunt I replied, "Because deep down, we're both hopeless fucking romantics." I nibbled gently on the skin of his neck and jaw, circling my hips in an effort to increase his pleasure. I thrust in and out a couple of times and then circled my hips again, causing him to cry out.

"Shit, Jasper! Right there, baby...don't stop...don't ever fucking stop!" he cried, grabbing hold of his rigid cock and stroking himself in time with my movements. We were both moving in earnest now, panting and moaning, a thin sheen of sweat covering both our bodies. "I'm close Jas, please...so fucking close!"

"Me too, baby," I breathed. "Look at me, Edward; look in my eyes and come for me, darlin'!"

Green met blue, and he cried out as streams of white hot cum spilled onto his stomach. I could feel his muscles pulsing around me as he stared into my eyes and uttered, "I love you, Jas...love you so much!"

My movement became erratic as I watched him continue to stroke himself, riding out the waves of his orgasm. It only took about three more thrusts and I was digging my fingers into his flesh, holding him in place as my cock began to pulse deep inside of him, filling the condom with my hot, milky release. I whispered his name as my climax rocked me to my core, trying desperately to hold back the tears of joy that were threatening to fall. "I love you too, Edward," I whimpered, letting myself relax on top of him. As I began to soften inside of him, I carefully pulled out and removed the rubber, tossing it into the trashcan beside my bed before turning to lay on top of him again.

Wrapping his arms around my waist, he rolled us so that we were on our sides facing eachother. My body was still shaking slightly from the force of my orgasm, and he traced soft circles on the skin of my back in an effort to sooth me. "Ssh, baby, it's okay," he whispered as I looked into his eyes again, noticing the unshead tears gathered there. Apparently I wasn't the only one who felt the intensity of our connection.

Closing my eyes, I pulled him close and buried my face in his neck. "Did I tell you?" I began. "The first time I saw you, I knew you were different...special." I placed a few chaste kisses on the side of his neck before I continued to whisper in his ear. "By the end of that first weekend, I knew...I told my Mama that you were 'the one'. I knew, even then, that I loved you, even if I couldn't yet say the words out loud."

Cupping my face in his hands, he pulled me away from his neck and gazed deeply into my eyes. His tears were flowing freely now, and I couldn't help but lean in and kiss the tip of his nose. He placed a tender kiss on my mouth and replied, "Me, too, love. Me too."

**...**

**Reviews are love...let me know what y'all think!**

**Til next time...Erin**


	9. Chapter 8

**Yeah, so...I'm not really crazy about this chapter. It's transitional and short, and I struggled with it- obviously, since it took me three freaking weeks to get it out! Anyways, I hope it's better than I think it is. **

**I don't have a regular beta, so any mistakes are mine :)**

**Stephenie Meyers owns the stuff you recognize. I just have a huge soft spot for Jackson Rathbone and Robert Pattinson...*sigh***

**See you at the end...**

**...**

**Chapter 8**

Waking up in Jasper's arms was not a new experience- we had spent most of our nights together since we met. This morning was different, though, and as I started to become aware of my surroundings, I tried to remember why. Had it all been a dream? As I rolled over onto my back, stretching the sleep out of my achy muscles, I noticed the delicious sting coming from my backside and realized that it had all happened just as I remembered it.

I sighed contentedly and smiled to myself, my eyes still closed. "Good morning, darlin'. What are you thinkin' about that's got you smiling so wide this early in the mornin'?" he asked, almost sarcastically.

"I was just wondering if it was all a dream." I replied lazily as he stroked my arm with his finger.

"Which part?" he wondered aloud.

"All of it," I answered, turning to meet his gaze. "I love you," I said softly.

He reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair off of my forehead and smiled. "I love you too, darlin'." I rolled onto my side to face him as he scooted closer and draped his arm over my hip, pulling me to him and kissing me tenderly. I brushed my thumb across his jaw, cupping his face in my hand as I deepened the kiss, sweeping his bottom lip with my tongue. We kissed languidly for a few moments, enjoying the feel of each other's lips, teeth and tongues as we reveled in our new found feelings, still raw and fresh from the night before. Jasper pulled away from my mouth, but continued to pepper me with chaste kisses on the tip of my nose, my eyelids, cheeks, and forehead. He then rested his forehead against mine and asked, "Have you come to a conclusion?"

"About what? Last night?" I asked, chuckling lightly.

"Hmmm," he hummed affirmatively.

Smiling, I replied, "Definitely not a dream."

I sighed happily as he continued to trace circular patterns on my lower back with his calloused fingers. "How are you feeling?" he asked, trailing those same fingers down over my cheeks in a gesture that was obviously meant to be soothing.

"A little sore- in a good way- but otherwise fine. Were you worried?"

"Not really, I guess. I know you would have told me right away if I was hurting you. I guess I just wanted to make sure that it was okay- that you're not having any regrets this morning." His eyes were tight and his brow furrowed, as if he were waiting for bad news to arrive, and I wasn't at all sure why he suddenly seemed so insecure.

"Hey," I said softly. "Look at me, babe. I don't regret any of it. It's like you said last night; maybe it's crazy and too fast and all of that other stuff, but I don't care. I. Love. You. End of story. Let people say what they will; we both know that this is the real deal." He smiled at me then, and I could see that the light in his eyes had returned.

Pulling me close for another kiss, he replied, "Thank you. I feel the same way, but I don't think I'll ever get sick of hearing you say it." He rolled on to his back, stretching a little as he let out a groan. "I suppose we should get up and shower; your parents are expecting us by lunchtime and I still need to finish packing."

"You're probably right," I muttered as he rolled out of bed and padded across the floor to his bathroom. As he reached the door he looked back over his shoulder.

"You gonna join me or what?" he asked, a wry smile spreading across his face.

A growl rumbled in my chest, and I scrambled out of bed, stalking towards him across the room. "You may be sorry you asked," I whispered in his ear before licking the shell and pulling his lobe into my mouth, sucking gently.

"Never," he replied as he smacked my ass and walked away to start the shower.

~*E*~

When we had finished cleaning up and I had helped Jasper finish packing for the weekend, we went to the kitchen to make some breakfast. I picked up my phone from the table where I had dropped it the night before, and noticed that I had a couple of missed calls and text messages. I cursed under my breath as I scrolled through the numbers, garnering a raised eyebrow from Jasper.

"Alice..." I said dryly. He simply nodded his head and went back to the fridge to retrieve the eggs and milk we needed to make some french toast. Alice had tried to call a few times the night before, and had finally left a text, and then another in the morning. I skipped through till I got to the most recent and pulled it up on the screen.

**R U with J? What happened to you guys? Call or text...A**

I should have known she would be worried when we disappeared. I didn't want to go in to a full blown explanation through text, so I tried to keep my reply simple.

**A- yes, I am w/ J. We are fine...no worries. Will c u tomorrow? ...E**

It didn't take more than a minute for her to respond.

**E- We'll be out in the afternoon. C u then...I want details!...A**

Sighing, I dropped the phone back on the counter and walked up behind Jasper, wrapping my arms around his waist as he worked at the stove. "Everything alright with Alice?" he asked, looking over his shoulder and placing a brief kiss on my lips.

"Yeah. I think she was worried when we disappeared last night. She wanted to know if I was with you and if everything was okay."

I could see the smile playing on the corner of his mouth and I moved to stand beside him, leaning back against the counter so I could see his face better. "What?" I asked. "Do you know something I don't?"

"No. It's just...you're Alice is very...perceptive." He turned to look at me, cocking his head slightly to one side, and surveyed the confusion on my face. As if he could read my mind, he added, "She asked me last night if I had told you yet that I love you."

I nodded in understanding. "Is that why you were acting weird?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah, I guess. I was kind of afraid that if I was that obvious, that everyone would be able to tell, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to tell you or not. I'm sorry I worried you."

I pulled him to me by his belt loops and placed a tender kiss on his mouth. "No more of that," I murmured. "We sorted all of that out last night; there's no reason to apologize."

"Okay," he replied, kissing me one more time. "Let's get breakfast on the table so we can get a move on. The traffic is going to be crazy headed out of the city today."

We ate quickly and poured ourselves a couple of coffees to go, and before long, we were in Jasper's car with me behind the wheel.

My parent's beach house was on the Southeast end of Cape Cod. It had been in our family for years, and was one of the few houses on the beach that actually had a private lot. We pulled up out front just before noon, and my mother was waiting at the door to welcome us.

"Come on in, boys," she smiled. "Lunch is nearly ready. Jasper, dear, Edward can show you to your room. I put some fresh towels and linens in there for you."

I took Jasper's free hand and led him upstairs and down the hall to the last door on the left. "This is my room," I muttered, as I turned the knob and opened the door. I waited as he entered the room and followed behind him.

"This is amazing," he murmured as he set his bag down and walked over to the window. "The view of the beach is spectacular." Walking up behind him, I placed my hands on his hips and kissed him once on the back of his neck. He sighed, relaxing into my touch as we continued to watch the waves crash on the shore. "Thank you for bringing me here," he whispered.

I pulled him tight against my chest and buried my face in his shoulder. "I wouldn't have wanted to be here without you."

He reached back and scratched his blunt nails gently over the hair on the back of my neck. "We should probably get back downstairs. I'm sure Esme is waitin' on us."

"Yeah," I replied with a sigh. "You're probably right. Knowing mom, she's been waiting for us all morning."

We made our way down to the kitchen, and as we predicted, she was waiting with lunch all ready to go. "I hope you boys are hungry," she smiled as we approached the breakfast bar. "Your dad ate earlier because he had already planned to play golf this afternoon, but I wanted to wait and eat with you so we could catch up."

"This looks great, Esme," Jasper said, kissing her on the cheek.

I gave her a big hug and agreed with Jasper's statement. We all sat at the bar and ate for a few moments in relative silence. Once we had all settled in a little, the conversation began to flow freely, and I was once again thankful that Jasper seemed to fit in with my family so easily. He must have caught me staring at him, because he turned and flashed me a crooked grin before continuing his conversation with my mother. I gave his leg a gentle squeeze under the table and returned to my lunch with a smile playing on my lips.

When lunch was finished, Jasper and I helped my mom clean up the dishes as she packed the leftover salad away for later. "I need to head down to the market to get some things for tonight. Would you boys care to join me?" mom asked hesitantly.

Jasper glanced at me and I shrugged. He smiled and turned to her as he said, "Sure. I've never been out here before, and I'd really like to get a look at the village."

Since J and I would be going with her to help, we decided we would make the one mile trek on foot, so I grabbed the cooler out of the mudroom and took it to the kitchen to pack it with ice. I knew she had planned on getting some lobsters, and this would be the best way to transport them since the cooler was on wheels. Mom grabbed her tow-behind cart that she always took to the farmer's market, along with some canvas shopping bags, and we were ready to go.

It was a great day for a walk, and we once again fell in to easy conversation. We filled her in on some of the events from the previous evening- making sure to leave out the parts that involved our declarations and the events that followed- and she joked about how dad used to get sick every time he would take me on carnival rides when I was little. "The poor thing would always just look so _green," _she laughed, and I joined her as I remembered how my father would insist on going with me on each one, even though he would end up in the bushes when I had finally had my fill.

"Y'all are really lucky to have each other," Jasper said wistfully.

"You miss your mother and your sister very much, don't you?" mom asked as she took his hand in hers, giving it a light squeeze.

"Yeah, I do," he replied.

"Well," she answered. "They'll be here before you know it. I'm already planning a big dinner for them."

"They'll love that, Esme. Thank you, so much." I threw my arm over his shoulder and pulled him close, kissing his cheek chastely. He tucked his chin into his chest and smiled, nodding his head slightly. When he raised his face to mine again he kissed me once on the lips whispering, "I love you."

"Me too, Jas."

~*E*~

My mom had really outdone herself, and prepared a real New England shore dinner for us, complete with lobsters, steamed clams, corn on the cob, and homemade blueberry pie with ice cream. Watching Jasper attempt to eat lobster for the first time was pretty funny, but he handled himself well, I must say, and learned his lesson after spilling the hot juice from the first claw all over himself. I think he actually really enjoyed it in the end.

By the time dinner was finished, and we had all helped clean up the mess in the kitchen, it was quite late. Mom and dad were both clearly exhausted, and excused themselves to their room for the night. I was a little tired, but I wasn't really ready to go to sleep either, so I asked Jasper if he might like to watch a movie, or maybe take a walk on the beach.

"Would you mind terribly if we went up to bed?" he asked. "It's been a long day, and I really just want to get out of these clothes and wrap my arms around you." How on earth could I argue with that logic?

"How about a hot bath?" I asked as we entered our room.

"That sounds perfect," he breathed, leaning in to kiss me softly. As he headed toward the bathroom he asked, "Are there any candles in here?"

"I'm sure there are," I replied. "My mother usually thinks of everything."

I started the water in the tub, and Jasper found a few candles in the linen closet. He set them around the edge of the big garden tub and went back in search of a lighter. He returned a moment later and began to light the candles as I sprinkled some bath salts under the spray of the faucet. As I placed the jar back under the sink, I could feel Jasper behind me, and as I stood he snaked his arms around my waist, loosening my shirt from the waist of my shorts as he went. He slowly turned me around as I pulled my shirt off over my head. Reaching for him, I carefully began undoing the buttons of his shirt, revealing the tight white tank beneath. He groaned as I slid my hands down over his chest and abs, and sighed softly when I tugged the fabric up over his head. After sharing a few teasing kisses, we both quickly shed the rest of our clothes and climbed into the tub at opposite ends.

I pulled one of Jasper's feet up into my lap, massaging the overused muscles and tendons. Following my lead, he began massaging one of my feet as well, and we both relaxed further into the warm, soothing water of the bath. A smile crept across his face, and he looked up at me through his thick lashes, his blue eyes intense with emotion. "Is it crazy for me to say that this is my favorite thing we've done today?"

"Not at all; I've been waiting to get you alone all afternoon," I replied. "C'mere," I whispered, reaching for his hand and helping him turn so that he was nestled between my legs with his back to my chest. We sat like that until the water ran cold, and then dried off before crawling into bed naked.

We made love slowly and tenderly, cherishing each other as only real lovers can. I was again overwhelmed by the strength of the emotions I held for this man. My life had changed dramatically in the last two weeks, and as frightening as that was on some level, it was also exhilarating. When we were both finally spent and satiated and drifting towards sleep, I found myself thanking God for bringing Jasper into my life and showing me true love. Whatever our future held, I would be forever grateful.

**...**

**A quick thanks to all who have reviewed and added this to their favorites and alerts! I cherish you all!**

**Next chapter will have a little more of their weekend away, and then we will move on from there. **

**Reviews make my day :)**

**'Till next time...**


	10. Chapter 9

**Epic A/N ahead...you have been warned!**

**Sorry for the delay, folks. Just when I thought I was on a roll, I stopped working so that I could write a little something for On The Turning Away's birthday. If you haven't checked it out, you can find my contribution on my profile page, or check out the entire blog http:/ ottaff (.) blogspot (.) com**

**Speaking of On the Turning Away, I owe her a huge thanks for lending her mad beta skills to help make this chapter flow a heck of a lot better. Big hugs and pictures of boysecks to you, girl! P.S...I must be a perve too, cause I love 'vein' talk!**

**Huge thanks to Captain Jezebel for rec'ing my little story on Twislash Unveiled on 7/20. It felt like my birthday all over again to get the news!**

**And lastly (I think), thanks to all of you who keep reading, reviewing, and adding me to your faves and alerts. Everytime I see the alerts in my box I squee like a fangirl at ComiCon!**

**Now, on with the show...**

**...**

**Chapter 9**

**JPOV**

Edward naked was a sight I would never tired of. But Edward naked _and_ taking control? Now that was truly a thing of beauty.

"Nobody's in the house but us," he whispered in my ear as he moved to hover over me. "My parents went in to town to stock up for the weekend, and our guests won't arrive until later this afternoon." He nibbled hungrily at my ear before sucking the lobe forcefully between his lips. "We're all alone, and I want in that pretty little ass of yours."

_Fuck. Me._

I groaned loudly as I attacked his mouth with my own. "I love it when you take charge," I said breathlessly. Knowing how much he liked it when I talked dirty I whispered, "How bad do you want to fuck me, baby?"

"So bad," he moaned, grinding his erection against my hip. "But first, I want to taste you."

Going to work on the exposed skin of my chest, he sucked on my left nipple while rolling the right between his fingers. I bucked against him as he tugged gently on the sensitive flesh with his teeth. "Uh-uh, baby, all in due time," he teased. As he brought his lips back to mine, I couldn't resist the urge to plunge my tongue into his mouth. I would never get sick of his taste; I simply couldn't get enough.

Our kisses were sensuous and slow as we ground against each other, seeking the friction we both so desperately craved at that moment. When he finally pulled away, it was with a wicked smirk on his face. I tried to follow, but he pushed my body back down on the mattress and scooted back, grabbing the waistband of the boxer briefs I had put on before my late night trip to the kitchen. "I can't believe you left these on when you came back to bed," he scolded. "That was very naughty, Jasper. I think you need to be punished."

"Punished how?" I asked, my voice rough with need. "Are you gonna spank me, baby?"

His eyes darkened at my words, and he carefully worked my boxers down over my straining erection. Once he had removed the offending fabric completely, he murmured, "Roll over."

I did as I was told, and once I settled on the mattress, Edward rested his body over top of mine. He trailed wet kisses down the back of my neck and over my shoulder blades before working his way down to the base of my spine. Sitting back on my thighs, he began working his hands over my glutes, massaging me lovingly as he whispered, "You have the most beautiful ass." He leaned over and ran his tongue across the dimples right above my crack, and I had to bite my lip to stifle the groan that was fighting its way out. Chuckling softly, he rubbed a gentle circle over my right cheek. He pulled the hand away, and before I could whimper at the loss of his touch, I felt the biting sting as he struck the very spot he had just caressed.

"Shit!" I cried out, and then moaned as he carefully placed a soothing hand over my heated flesh.

"Mmmm," he hummed. "I think you like being spanked, Jasper," he said, the smile in his voice evident. "But I have other plans for you this morning, so I think I'll save the rest of your punishment for another time." He kissed the tender skin on my right cheek, teasing me with his teeth and tongue. I could feel him working his way further down the bed and he spread my legs wide, settling himself between them.

Wrapping his hands around my hips, he guided me up onto my knees so that my ass was in the air with my head still resting on the bed. "Like I said before," he continued, "you have the most beautiful ass, and I fully intend to feast on it."

"Fuck," I muttered as he used his palms to spread my cheeks. He then trailed open-mouthed kisses down the length of my crack all the way to my balls, eliciting a groan from deep within me. I nearly came out of my skin when he flattened his tongue and dragged it back up the trail he had previously left, his breathy moan reverberating through my entire body.

"God, you taste so fucking good," he murmured, continuing to tease the sensitive skin at my opening with his tongue. "I can't wait to get inside you."

He kept up his ministrations, lapping at my entrance and probing the ring of muscle with his firm tongue, as he cradled my balls in his hand, gently massaging them. "Shit...fuck, baby...need you...Edward..." He was pushing me to the brink and I was nearly incoherent. "Want you...inside me, baby...please..."

"You want me, baby?" he asked. Nodding in reply, I felt the bed shift as he retrieved the lube and condoms from the nightstand. I heard the click of the bottle and then felt a cool, slick finger slide into my ass. It had been awhile since I did this, but I was anxious to bottom for Edward. He slid a second finger in with the first, and began scissoring them inside me, slowly pulling them out and then pushing back in again. Edward knew exactly what to do to drive me insane, and he was pulling out all the stops. "Are you ready for me, J?" he asked, kissing me between the shoulder blades and running his free hand over my ass and around my waist.

"So fuckin' ready, darlin'. Please...I wanna feel you in me." I sighed as he pulled his fingers out of me and tried to keep my body relaxed and ready for him. Rolling me on to my back, he leaned over and kissed me softly on the mouth.

"I love you, baby," he murmured against my lips as he reached to lift my knees off the mattress, opening me for him. Lining himself up with my entrance, he slowly brushed his swollen head up and down the length of my crack. "I want to make you feel as good as you do me."

"Fuck, yes," I whispered as he pressed himself into me. Inch by inch he filled me up, the slight burning sensation awakening my senses to what he was doing to my body.

"Shit, J...so fucking tight," he moaned, stilling his hips, allowing me to adjust to the intrusion.

"Please move, babe...you feel so good," I begged. He pulled back slowly, setting me on fire, and then thrust back in causing us both to moan loudly in pleasure.

I let him set the pace, slow at first and then building to a driving rhythm that would send us both over the edge. When I felt the coil deep within me start to tighten, I cried out, "Edward, babe...gonna cum!"

He pounded me relentlessly until I was shooting thick jets of white cream all over us both, and with just a few more thrusts, his whole body began to convulse. "Fuck!" he yelled as he twitched deep inside my ass, continuing to pump in and out as he rode the wave of his own orgasm. "Oh, my God," he breathed in my ear as he fell against my chest, burying his face in my neck. "I love you so fucking much."

Chuckling, I smoothed my hands over the strong muscles of his back, resting them at his waist. I kissed him softly on his shoulder and answered, "Me too, darlin'. Do you have any idea how fuckin' hot it is when you take control like that?"

"Are you okay?" he asked. "I wasn't too rough, was I?"

"Not at all, baby. I loved it," I said with a smile.

He looked at me warily. "Even the spanking?" he wondered aloud.

"_Especially_ the spanking," I answered, winking at him.

We lay there for a while, just enjoying the peace and quiet in the house, knowing that it would soon be full of people, and that we might not be afforded the same level of privacy over the next couple of days. Eventually, however, we knew it was time to get out of bed and get showered.

Half an hour later, Edward and I made our way down to the kitchen in search of a late breakfast. We shared the task of cooking- Edward whisked up the eggs and milk to scramble while I put a few slices of bacon in the broiler to crisp up- and soon we were sitting at the small table in the sun room enjoying our meal. We were just finishing up and clearing our plates when Carlisle and Esme returned home.

I helped Esme sort out the groceries and get them put away while Edward and Carlisle went out to the patio to make sure that the grill was in proper working order, as we would need it at dinner time. Once everything was in its place and ready to go, Edward and I headed in to town to run a few errands of our own.

I had mentioned wanting to pick up a 'thank-you' gift for Esme, and with Edward's help, I was able to find something perfect for her. I had the cashier gift-wrap my purchase, and then we went down the street to local wine/beer shop and picked up a couple of bottles to go with dinner, as well as a couple of six-packs of our favorite microbrews. Between Edward, myself, Carlisle, and Emmett, I was sure we wouldn't have any trouble finishing the beer before the weekend was over.

When Edward and I returned to the house, Alice, Emmett, and their parents had already arrived. Alice, in her usual fashion, squealed when she saw us enter the kitchen, and ran over to pull us both in to a hug much too fierce for someone her size.

"I still haven't gotten over the fact that you boys took off the other night without saying goodbye," she scolded. "But I'll let it slide, _this_ time." I had a feeling that we hadn't heard the last about our abrupt departure from the fireworks.

"Why don't you kids go out to the beach for a while?" Esme suggested. "There's still a couple of hours until we need to get dinner started, and everything is under control here."

The four of us agreed, and soon we had all changed into our swim suits and reconvened in the kitchen. Edward grabbed a few beach towels from the laundry room, and then we headed out.

It was a beautiful afternoon to hang out on the beach. Emmett brought his football with him, so he and I set out to play pass for a bit while Edward and Alice relaxed on the sand to have a chat. I could only imagine what Alice wanted to chat with him about, and I said as much to Edward. "Don't worry babe," he teased. "I won't give away _all _your secrets."

It turned out Emmett and I got along really well, and I was kind of surprised how easy he was to talk to. We threw the ball back and forth for a bit, and tried to get to know each other a little better. I told him a little about my life back in Texas, and he shared a few ridiculous stories about his childhood with Edward. Though they were cousins, their relationship was much more like that of brothers, and I found myself a little envious. I had always wanted a brother; Rosie was great, but I always felt like I was missing something, especially after my father died.

"So, you and Edward seem pretty serious," Emmett stated.

I nodded in reply. "I know, it's crazy, right? We haven't known each other very long."

"Nah, it's not that crazy." He seemed to be contemplating something, like he was looking for exactly the right words to convey his meaning. "He's happy, Jasper. I've known him all my life, and I've never seen him so free. That's because of you." He tossed the ball up over his head and caught it with both hands before walking towards me and continuing. "When you meet the right person, nothing else matters; age, time, distance, whatever. Awww, hell. I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable or anything, J. I can just tell that you really care for him, and I know how he feels about you. Any fool can see that you two are made for each other."

"I love him, Emmett," I mumbled, walking to the edge of the water and letting the waves crash over my feet.

"Good," he replied. "Have you guys talked about what will happen when he goes back in September?"

"Not yet," I answered. "But I'll do whatever it takes; whatever he needs from me, I'll give it to him."

"I know you will. Now, let's go see what the hens are squawking about up there." I laughed at his joke, and Emmett threw his arm over my shoulder, dragging me back to where Alice and Edward were waiting. I suddenly felt as if I had passed some sort of test. I only hoped that Edward and I were on the same page when it came to the future.

**EPOV**

"Okay, Alice. I know you're dying to ask, so why don't you just get on with it." She had been unusually quiet since we left the house, and I knew her well enough to know that she had been biding her time until we were alone to let loose on me.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Edward!" she exclaimed. "You act like I'm some kind of gossip monger or something!"

I sighed. "I don't think you're a gossip, Alice, but I know you're curious about what happened. This is your chance to ask me any question you want. I can't promise I'll answer all of them, but you can ask anyways."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes, really," I confirmed.

She studied the towel she was sitting on for a moment, running her fingers carefully through the grains of sand at her side. "You were arguing."

"You saw that?" I questioned.

"Yes, but when I turned back around a few minutes later, you were both gone. I assumed you had left together, but I won't pretend I wasn't a little worried." Her brow was furrowed as she contemplated the memory. "It looks like everything turned out okay."

"We did argue," I began, knowing that she wanted details. "He had been acting strangely after we left the carnival; I haven't seen Jasper that quiet or introspective unless something is wrong, so I called him on it."

She nodded knowingly and encouraged me to continue with my story. "Well, he told me I was making too much of it and I lost it. I accused him of not really wanting to be there with me and told him to go home."

"Are you serious?" she said incredulously. "Why would he say that? And why would you just throw out an accusation like that? I swear, sometimes..."

"Alice, it was just a misunderstanding," I remarked. "Once he realized I was really upset, he explained his behavior."

"And?"

"He loves me." Her eyes lit up, but I could see she was still a little confused as to what had happened, so I tried to explain the rest to her. "He said that he basically had come to the realization that he was in love with me and it freaked him out, not because he was having the feelings, but because it was so soon and he was afraid of scaring me away. He said it just hit him while we were at the fair and it left him feeling a little dazed, as well as worried about what my reaction might be."

"And how did you react?" she asked curiously.

"I told him that I love him, too."

I looked over to see Alice beaming at me, her smile bright enough to light up a moonless night. She reached for my hand and gave it a gently squeeze. "Oh Edward, I'm so happy for you both!"

"Me too, Allie."

"So what happened then?" she quietly asked.

"We went home, and then...well, you know." I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, and it wasn't because of my exposure to the sun. I had never been the type of guy to kiss and tell, but Alice was the one person I knew I could confide in about these things. As she looked at me with curiosity in her eyes, I sighed, knowing that I was actually going to have to spell it out fore her. "We had sex for the first time," I said in a hushed tone.

"Wait, what? The first time? What the hell have you two been doing for the last couple of weeks?" She was laughing, but the look of bewilderment on her face told me that she wasn't sure whether she should believe me or not.

"Hush, Alice!" I huffed. "We've been fooling around and stuff, it's just...neither of us was really ready, you know? We both kind of knew that there was a real connection between us and we agreed, rationally, that we shouldn't just 'jump in the sack'." I looked away, slightly embarrassed by my revelation.

She scooted a little closer and snaked her arm around my waist, resting her head on my shoulder. "So, how was it?" she wondered.

I cocked my head to the side and met her eyes. A smile crept over my face as I whispered, "Incredible."

We sat like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the peace of the moment as Jasper and Emmett tossed the football back and forth. I was once again overcome with gratitude at how my family and friends had welcomed Jasper in to the fold. He fit in with them all so well that I couldn't help but think about how bright our future looked.

"Hey, Eddie?" Alice asked, bringing my attention back to the present. "Have you guys talked about what happens this fall?"

I shook my head and sighed. "Not yet, but I guess we should, huh?"

"Probably a good idea," she agreed.

"Soon," I replied after a few moments. "But not tonight; I just want to enjoy this perfect weekend before we start worrying about that stuff."

While I was hoping to be back in Boston permanently come springtime of next year, I was also fully aware of the reality of the situation; I would end up wherever I could get an internship. I didn't want to worry about it, but I couldn't help it really. I knew instinctively that Jasper and I would both do whatever was necessary to make our relationship work, but would it be too presumptuous of me to ask him to come with me if I ended up somewhere else?

For now, I decided, I would just take things day by day and enjoy the time with Jasper while I could, because all too soon we would be separated.

~*E*~

The next two days went by in a blur, and before I knew it, we were back at Jasper's place in the city. I shouldn't have been surprised at the feeling of warmth that spread through me when Jasper said, "Welcome home, darlin'," as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Home," I whispered in reply. "I like the sound of that." I buried my face in his shoulder, breathing deeply and letting his scent wash over me. Taking one more deep breath, I pulled back to look in his eyes and took his face in my hands. "Have I told you today how much I love you?" I asked.

"Yes," he breathed against my lips. "But you can tell me as often as you like; I love to hear it." He brushed my mouth with his, teasing me with his slow torture as his tongue darted out to taste mine. "I think we should go and take a nap before dinner," he said, the corner of his mouth turning up in to the crooked grin I loved so much.

"A nap?" I teased. "I had something entirely more devious in mind."

"Hmmm," he hummed. "I like the way you think."

Within a matter of minutes, we were in the bedroom stripping our clothes off. "Bed or shower?" Jasper asked hurriedly.

"Shower first, then bed," I answered with a wink.

He smiled and shook his head. "I _really_ like the way you think."

I went into the bathroom ahead of him and turned the water on to heat. Following behind me, he pulled a couple of fresh towels out of the linen closet and hung them on the towel bar for later. I heard him hum in appreciation as he ran his hand down over my back and squeezed my ass. Sighing, I leaned back and relaxed against him. "Thank you for spending the weekend with my family," I muttered.

Turning me to face him, he cupped my cheek in his palm. "There's nowhere on this Earth I would rather have been."

He stepped in to the steaming shower and I followed closely on his heels, pulling the door closed behind me. We took it in turns standing under the warm spray before Jasper grabbed the bottle of shampoo and began to lather my hair. I moaned with pleasure as his nimble fingers soothed the tired muscles on my scalp. "That feels so good, babe," I whispered, my eyes closed and my head tilted back.

"Let me take care of you," he murmured against my neck as he placed an open-mouthed kiss on my heated flesh. Very slowly, he trailed his soapy hands down over my back and let one slide between my cheeks. My whole body shuddered as he dropped to his knees in front of me and slid his other hand between my thighs, brushing against my balls. "I want you in my mouth," he said, looking up at me through his long lashes. "Is that okay?"

"Yessss," I pleaded, bracing myself against the shower wall.

He took his time, stroking me and tugging gently on my sack. Very deliberately, he put just the head of my dick in his mouth, humming against the sensitive flesh as he teased my slit with his tongue. "Fuck," I moaned, as he took me all the way down his throat and swallowed around me.

"Jasper, oh god...feels so good," I mumbled incoherently. I reached down and tugged on his hair while he traced a soapy finger over my entrance. Pressing just the tip inside of me, he began bobbing his head up and down on my aching erection, and I cried out in pleasure.

This would be no long, drawn out session. He was pulling out all the stops; finger-fucking my ass, taking my balls into his mouth one at a time and sucking them just the way I liked, and licking a trail from my base to my tip over the swollen vein on the underside of my cock. He knew all the ways to make me scream, which was a revelation in itself considering we had been together such a short time, and he had no qualms whatsoever about using all of his tricks at once. It took no time at all before I was crying out in ecstasy as my orgasm ripped through my body and I pulsed in Jasper's mouth, watching him as he drank down all I gave him.

"Oh God," I moaned aloud as my legs started to tremble from the force of my release. "Fuck, Jas! So fucking good," spilled from my mouth as I pulled him to his feet and attacking his lips with my own. We kissed languidly, sharing the traces of my flavor that lingered in his mouth.

"You liked that, huh?" he asked with a chuckle, and when I hummed my reply against his neck, he kissed me tenderly. "Consider that repayment for my 'punishment' the other day," he said with a grin.

"Thank you," I murmured. I trailed my fingers over his back and nibbled at the skin behind his ear. "Let's dry off and climb in to bed," I suggested. "I need to feel your weight on me."

He did as I asked, and we made love slowly and tenderly. When I came for the second time that night, Jasper followed right behind me, whispering my name into the darkness like a prayer. As we snuggled close a short while later, I heard him say softly, "Whatever it takes, Edward. I will always love you."

**...**

**Reviews are love!**

**Thanks,**

**Erin**


	11. Chapter 10

**Yeah, so only about 3 weeks this time...that's better, right? **

**Huge thanks to everyone who continues to read and review...thanks so much for sticking with me. I know I'm slow, but I promise, we are starting to get to the meat of this story...no pun intended ;) **

**Thanks also for all the adds and faves...you all rock my socks!**

**As usual, I'm not sure if I said all I needed to say in this chapter, but hopefully I got it right. Leave me a review and let me know?**

**As we speak, I am waiting to find out how my one-shot, Heart's Desire, fared in the Plot Bunny Contest. If you haven't read it, the link is in my profile. It's too late to vote, but give it a read just the same. It's angsty and kind of sweet :)**

**Some angst and some citrus ahead...hope you're ready:)**

**...**

**JPOV**

"Have I told you how hot you look with your glasses on?"

"Jasper Whitlock! Stop trying to distract me! We need to talk about this!"

I knew Edward was a little frustrated with me. For the last three weeks we'd been having the same conversation, and we weren't any closer to a resolution.

Rising from my perch across the room, I took the three strides necessary to be at Edward's side. "I'm sorry," I whispered, stroking his cheek with the back of my hand, "but you really do look hot with your glasses on."

"We _need _a plan," he pressed.

Sighing, I moved my legs so that I was straddling his hips. "I told you, darlin', I'll agree to whatever you want, be whatever you need. I just..."

"Jasper," he pleaded. "I love you; you _know _that. Why are you fighting me on this?"

Searching for an answer I wasn't really sure of, I laid my head on his shoulder as his arms held tight around my waist.

"I'm scared," I muttered.

Gently, he pushed me away from his body so that he could look in my eyes and asked, "Why?"

On some level, I knew I was being irrational; I loved him and he loved me. It should have all been so simple, but in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder.

"Edward," I sighed. How could I explain the lingering doubt that kept creeping its way back in? "I know you love me, and I love you too; more than I can express. But..."

"But nothing, baby," he said, pressing his lips against mine.

"Please...let me say this," I requested. When he nodded his head, I continued. "I'm just afraid that some thing's gonna happen to make you change your mind." I put my finger to his lips when he tried to protest, already knowing what his argument would be, but needing to finish my train of thought.

"What happens, Edward, if we make all these plans and then you get out there and change your mind about me? What if you go back and realize that this was just some crazy, summer fling? I'm not sure if I can handle that, but if I come out there and then find out that your heart's not in it anymore...that would be so much worse."

I took a deep breath and tried to find the courage to meet his eyes. When I finally did, the pain I saw there cut me to the core.

His voice broke as he tried to form a response. "And I'm not sure if I can handle leaving here in three weeks not knowing when I'll see you again, J." Tears started to spill down his reddened cheeks,, but he never broke eye contact with me.

"Listen to me," he choked out, gripping my jaw with both hands. "I fucking love you, Jasper Whitlock! I love you so goddamn much it hurts, and nothing, _nothing _is going to change that, no matter how many miles there are between us!" His voice was rough and raw with anguish, and the sound of it pushed me over the edge, my tears falling freely.

Pulling my face to his, he kissed me hungrily. He was unrelenting in his assault, and I submitted to him willingly.

"I'm sorry," I whispered between heated kisses. "So sorry...love you so much!"

We stayed like that for what could have been hours, but was probably only a matter of minutes. Our kisses went from frenzied and desperate to tender and languorous as our heightened emotions began to abate.

"I'm so sorry," I murmured once more as Edward's green eyes penetrated mine.

"I know," he whispered. "Just...think about it, okay? Try and see this from my perspective? I won't bring it up again 'til after your mom and Rose leave." I nodded in agreement as we continued to hold each other tightly.

Sighing, I looked around the room, trying to remember what else needed to be done before my family's arrival.

As if reading my mind, Edward asked, "What time does their flight arrive again?"

"Three," I answered as I removed myself from his lap. "I figured we could come back here and let them get settled, maybe rest for a little bit before we have to meet your folks at Aro's for dinner."

Edward reached out and took my hand as he stood up, pulling me to my feet at the same time. Wrapping his arms around me once more, he buried his face in the crook of my neck and placed an open-mouthed kiss there.

"Why don't you go lay down for awhile, maybe take a shower or something while I tidy up in here?" he suggested. "Relax for a little bit; I'll come in and join you when I'm done." We still had a few hours before we needed to leave for the airport, so I took him up on his offer and went to take a nap.

I woke a short while later when I felt the bed move indicating Edward's presence.

"Your mom just called. Their flight from New York got delayed an hour, so they won't land at Logan until close to four o'clock."

Stretching languidly, I asked, "What time is it now?"

"It's only 12:30, you can go back to sleep for a while if you want. Or I could make us some lunch?"

I smiled, reaching for him so that I could pull him closer. "I don't want to sleep, and I don't want lunch. I need you...Edward, _please_..."

Meeting me halfway, he moaned when I plunged my tongue into his mouth. "God, baby...you always taste so good," he murmured as I kissed my way across his jaw. I reached a hand between us and tugged his t-shirt free of his jeans, exposing his pale porcelain skin and dusting of coarse red hair.

Trailing my finger tips over his abs, I felt him shudder, and couldn't help my body's reaction as I thrust against him. He fell on the bed beside me, and quickly rolled so that he was hovering over my body. Pressing the full weight of his body on mine, he straddled my hips and rocked himself slowly against the erection that was now trying to fight its way out of my briefs.

"Fuck," I drawled when he did it again, the sensation sending shock waves throughout my body. Gripping his hips, I pulled him against my throbbing cock again, and watched in fascination as his eyes rolled back in his head while he rode me.

"You have too many clothes on," I murmured when his eyes met mine, and he smiled.

"I guess we'll have to do something about that, won't we?"

Rising quickly and removing his clothes, he stood beside my bed, his eyelids heavy with lust. I watched as he took his shaft in hand and began to stroke himself slowly.

Taking hold of my own aching cock, I eased my hand up and down my length. "Fuck, baby...you're so fucking beautiful like that, strokin' your dick and looking at me like I'm somethin' to eat."

He groaned at my words and climbed back on the bed beside me. "I want you so much right now, Jasper. I always want you so much..."

Pulling him on top of me so that he rested between my legs this time, I raised my hips, allowing our erections to brush against each other. "I need you, darlin'...always. Please...show me that I belong to you!"

I gasped as he thrust against me, the head of his turgid length teasing my entrance. "Fuck, Jasper!" he cried just before he crashed his lips to mine, plunging his tongue forcefully into my eager mouth. Our movements were frantic, almost desperate in their intensity. This would not be the drawn-out, tender love-making that I had become accustomed to with Edward; the need to claim and be claimed was strong in us both.

Reaching for the bedside table, I retrieved a bottle of lube and a condom and dropped them on the bed beside me. When our eyes met, Edward bit his lip and asked, "Are you okay? Is this okay?"

"_God, yes!_" I replied. "I want you in me, babe, _need_ you in me. Fuck me, Edward, _please_?" I was so close to the edge already, I knew I wouldn't last long and I just wanted to feel him buried inside my body.

Grabbing the bottle from the bed, Edward immediately went to work preparing my ass. He wasn't gentle about it and it fucking turned me on even more. I pushed against his hand when he added a second and then third finger, and moaned wantonly when he curved his fingers just slightly and brushed against my prostate. "Oh, fuck yeah," I growled.

In an instant, his fingers were gone and I heard the rip of a foil packet. I watched as he generously coated his sheathed cock with lube and lined himself up with my entrance, pressing against me until just his swollen head had breached the tight ring of muscle.

"Shit, Jas," he whispered as he began rocking his hips back and forth, inching his way into my body. "So hot...tight...fuck!"

When he was fully seated inside of me, he stilled his hips and kissed me hungrily. "I love you, so fucking much!" he grunted, pulling his cock nearly all the way out before slamming back into me again.

"Fuck!" I cried as he continued to pound in to me, claiming every inch of my body and soul as his own.

"Mine!" he growled, biting the tender flesh of my neck and leaving his mark there.

"Yours, baby...always yours," I moaned. My words must have finally sent him over the edge, because he began to shudder above me just as my dick erupted all over my stomach.

We both cried out in pleasure, our bodies continuing to thrust against each other as we rode out our orgasms. I was suddenly overcome with emotion; every thought and feeling that had been shared between us earlier finally bubbling to the surface. I realized that I was crying at the same moment that Edward noticed the tears streaming down my cheeks.

"J? Jasper, baby, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?" he asked nervously. Brushing the wetness from my face, he implored, "Please, Jasper, tell me what's wrong! You're scaring me!"

With sobs quietly wracking my body, I fought to catch my breath. "I'm okay, I just...I-I don't need to think about it," I stuttered through my tears.

"Don't need to think about what?"

"Us," I replied. Realization dawned on his face as I continued. "Let's make a plan. I love you, Edward, and you're right. We should have a plan in place before you leave."

The smile that crept across his face could have lit up the city skyline. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Totally sure. You were right; I think we'll both feel a lot more secure knowing exactly when we'll be able to see each other."

We lay in bed for a while, our limbs tangled together, as we formed some rough plans for visiting each other after Edward went back to Chicago. Having already mapped out a few weekends that might work, we decided that a shower was in order if we were going to have time for lunch before we left for the airport.

"We can make this work, Jas, I promise," Edward murmured, placing a tender kiss on my lips.

"I know, darlin'. And I promise that I'll try not to freak out again, okay?" I gave him a sheepish grin, and he chuckled, pulling me back in for another not so chaste kiss.

"Sounds like a plan, baby."

~*J*~

Mama squealed when she saw me fighting my way through the crowd, and I noticed Rose following behind her with a huge smile on her face.

"There's my baby boy! You look thin, sweetheart. Is that man of yours feeding you enough?"

"Yes, mama," I gushed. "He takes real good care of me." I turned around, looking for the man in question and spotted him about five feet to my left, smiling nervously. I motioned for him to come over, and watched as he took a deep breath before walking towards me. "Mama, this is my Edward. Edward, my mama, Josephine Whitlock, and my sister, Rose."

"It's very nice to meet you both," He said, taking mama's hand and smiling tentatively at Rose. "Jasper speaks so highly of you both, I feel as if I know you already."

"It's nice to meet you too, Edward," Rose replied. "Jasper has told us so much about you; it's nice to finally put the name with the face."

I smiled at my girls and pulled Rose in for a hug. "I've missed you little sister."

"Me too, Jazzy."

Edward raised an eyebrow at my sister's nickname for me, but I just shook it off, hoping that he wouldn't make a big deal of it. Nobody ever called me Jazzy except Rose.

"Y'all must be exhausted from your travels. Let's get you back home so you can freshen up and maybe rest a bit before dinner?"

"Oh yes, baby doll. That sounds perfect," mama replied as we wandered toward the parking garage.

Traffic was light for a Sunday afternoon, and before I knew it, we had arrived back at my place. Edward and I grabbed the luggage from the back of my car and led mama and Rose to the elevator leading upstairs.

"Oh, Jasper!" mama exclaimed. "It's even lovelier than I remembered!" I watched as she made her way around the room, taking in all the changes I had made since moving in the previous summer. "You've done a wonderful job, baby."

"Thanks, mama. Let's get you both settled in your room. If you like, I can fix us all a drink or somethin'?"

"That sounds lovely," Rose replied as I showed them to their room.

"I left out some towels for y'all, and there's some more in the hall closet if you need them. Edward and I will pour some drinks and fix a snack. Just come on out to the living room when you're ready." I gave them both a kiss on the cheek and ventured to the kitchen to help Edward with the drinks.

Glad that I finally had my family with me again, it was almost a relief to just be able to sit and hang out with them. Mama and Rose were really the only family I had left, and I hated being so far away from them. I knew they understood my reasons for going to school so far from home, but it hadn't made me miss them any less.

Our dinner reservation at Aro's was for seven-thirty, so shortly before seven, we all got ready to make the walk to the restaurant. I couldn't have asked for more perfect weather for their visit, and the short walk was filled with happy conversation. When we arrived, Carlisle and Esme were already seated at the bar enjoying a cocktail, so we joined them while we waited for our table.

Mama was pleased to meet the friends I had made in my job, but even more pleased that Aro had been kind enough to allow me some time off to enjoy the summer. She was charmed by Aro, of course, and all in all, it turned out to be a very pleasant evening.

Edward's parents were warm and welcoming, as I knew they would be, and mama was thrilled at Esme's invitation to dinner at their house later in the week. Rosalie and Esme hit it off as well; they shared a love of architecture and design, and Rose was all too eager to tell her about the design classes she would be taking in the fall.

I was suddenly struck by the fact that this was what my future would be like if Edward and I made it. We would have dinners and holidays and birthdays filled with our family and friends; ours would be a life filled with love. Pausing to catch my breath as my emotions took control of me, I felt a warm hand on the back of my neck. I looked up at Edward's worried face and smiled softly.

"I'm okay," I whispered. "I was just thinking how lucky I am, that's all."

Leaning in and placing a chaste kiss on my lips, he answered, "I'm the lucky one. I love you, Jasper."

"Me too, darlin'."

~*J*~

It was a busy week. Monday we did the tourist thing, visiting a few of the Freedom Trail sites that Edward and I had seen on our first date, as well as the Museum of Science, Quincy Market, and lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. Tuesday, I took the girls shopping on Newbury Street, and we met up later with Edward at Fenway for a Red Sox game; I had been raised as a Rangers fan, but something about living in New England for the last few years had turned me into a die-hard Sox fan.

Wednesday was spent exploring outside the city. Esme had decided since we didn't have anything major planned that she would have us all out to the beach house for the day, which was fine with me- I loved it out there. It turned out to be just what we all needed after rushing around for the last two days, and we were able to relax and enjoy the ocean air with Carlisle and Esme. I was struck again at how right this all felt; Edward's family and mine joined together like this, enjoying each other's company. I felt more at peace than I had in a long time.

Much too tired to make the drive back to the city, we all ended up spending the night on the Cape. We were treated to a gourmet breakfast, courtesy of Edward and Esme, who had both apparently awoken at dawn to put together the feast that was waiting on the deck for us when we came downstairs.

Thursday was my last day with Mama and Rose, as they were booked on a flight home Friday morning. Wanting me to have some time alone with my family, Edward had decided to spend another day at the beach with his mom before returning home. As much as it pained me to know that I wouldn't have him in my bed that night, I appreciated that he was giving me this time to just be with my girls.

Rose decided to turn in early that night; whether she was really exhausted or just wanted to give me and Mama time to talk, I'll never know, but I can't say I wasn't grateful for it. I poured us each a glass of white wine, and we settled in for a chat.

"I really like your young man, baby doll," mama said with a smile. "He obviously cares for you a great deal, and he treats you with respect."

"He loves me, and I love him. I feel very lucky to have him in my life."

"I'm so happy for you, sweetheart. This may be a silly question, but have you considered what will happen when he has to leave this fall?"

Laughing lightly, I simply nodded. "You're not the first to ask that question, mama. And yes, we've discussed it. We've actually planned out a couple of weekends that I can fly out and see him in Chicago, and he'll be back here for a week at Thanksgiving. We haven't decided anything about Christmas yet, but I'm hoping we'll be able to spend some of the holiday together before I head home to see you and Rose."

"You really are serious about Edward, aren't you?" she asked, grinning.

"I told you, mama, I think he's the one for me. I'm sure of it, in fact. I've never felt anything so intense or so _right_; I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else."

"Then I'm really glad I got a chance to get to know him, to meet his family. You are a very special man, Jasper, and you deserve nothing but the best that life has to offer." Taking my hand in hers, she squeezed it tightly for a moment and then released me, patting my leg. "All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, baby doll."

"I know, mama," I replied. "I am happy; Edward has made me see things and feel things that I never thought I would experience. I'm glad you got to spend some time with him."

We talked a bit more while we finished out wine. It was nice to listen to mama go on about things back home and hear some Austin gossip; it had been far too long since we had a chance to hang out like this, and I hadn't realized just how much I really missed home and my family.

"Maybe I could bring Edward to Austin for a few days at Christmastime," I suggested as I set my empty wine glass on the end table. "I'd love to show him where I grew up."

"That would be real nice, sweetheart, and we have plenty of time to make plans for that. But right now, your mama is dead tired, and I've got to get up extra early to pack my suitcase."

"Sorry I kept you up so late, mama." With a sigh, I leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You should go get some rest; you have a long day ahead tomorrow. I'll clean up out here before I turn in."

"Now, don't you apologize to me, Jasper Whitlock; I enjoyed every minute of our little chat. Don't stay up too late; the dishes can always wait till the morning." Patting my cheek lovingly, she murmured, "I love you, baby boy."

"Love you too, mama."

~*J*~

For some reason, saying goodbye to mama at the airport was harder than usual. I hated that I couldn't be home more often to see her, and decided that I would offer to fly her back to Boston for another visit sometime soon.

I promised Rose that I would email and call more often, vowing to at least text her daily to say hi. As busy as we would both be once classes started again, I didn't want her to feel like I didn't care, or that I was too busy to make time for my baby sister.

I waited at the gate until I saw their plane take off, trying to hold on to them for as long as possible. When they were finally out of sight, I turned to make my way back to the car, and back home to Edward.

**...**

**Thanks again for reading!**

**Til next time...**

**Erin**


	12. Chapter 11

**Yeah, so I totally suck. For those of you who follow me on twitter, you know I've been having some computer problems, which on top of an epic case of writer's block has totally screwed with my posting schedule. This chapter was mostly written out by hand and then typed up when I could get access to a computer! Anyways, I can't promise when the next update will be, but it really shouldn't take so long next time! **

**A huge thanks to mycrookedsmile for acting as my beta for this chapter. She gave me some suggestions which made this chapter about 100% better than it might have been otherwise! **

**Also, since it's been awhile, you may want to review Ch 10 if you can't remember where we're at in the story. Go ahead, I can wait for ya if you need a few minutes.**

**As always, I don't own anything Twilight related. However, this storyline is all mine! **

**...**

_I wanna get lost in some corner booth, Cantina Mexico  
I wanna dance to the static of an AM radio  
I wanna wrap the moon around us, lay beside you skin on skin  
Make love til the sun comes up, til the sun goes down again  
Cause I need you  
Like a needle needs a vein  
Like my uncle Joe in Oklahoma needs the rain  
I need you  
Like a lighthouse on a coast  
Like the father and the son need the Holy Ghost  
I need you, I need you _

_"I Need You"_ by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

**Chapter 11**

_We stood in the candle-lit room, arms wrapped tightly around each other as we swayed slowly with the rhythm of the music. Jasper's breath was warm against my neck, and he was gripping the back of my shirt tightly. _

_"Baby, I'm still here," I said softly as I brought my hands up to cradle his face. "We have two more nights together, and I want to make the most of them. I want to show you how much I love you, how much I need you and want you." Then, with all the passion in my heart, I pressed my lips against his..._

***~E~*~E~*~E~*~E~*~E~*~E~***

Have you ever noticed how the less time you have, the faster it seems to go by? That no matter how much you try to slow it down, it just breezes right by you, leaving you breathless and unsteady. I guess that pretty much sums up the way I was feeling the last couple of weeks of my summer with Jasper.

I tried very hard to be the supportive, understanding boyfriend while Josephine and Rose were visiting. I knew how much Jasper had missed his family, and I wanted him to have as much time with them as possible. I was thrilled that they wanted to include me in the things they were doing, but when it came to their last night in Boston, I knew they needed some time alone.

We had all been at the beach house visiting with my family, and when the time to head back drew near, I told Jasper that I planned to stay overnight so that he could have some time alone with his mother and sister. He was reluctant at first, but I promised I would meet him back in the city for lunch the next day so that we could have our weekend to ourselves.

I have to say, I wasn't totally surprised when he called me early the next morning to change our plans.

"Would you be upset if I said I wanted us to spend the weekend at the beach?" he asked tentatively. "I just...I need..."

"Jasper, stop." I answered softly. "I understand, babe. I'll be here waiting for you."

I knew it would be hard for him to say goodbye to his family again. After all, he only really saw them a couple of times a year. I also understood that being around my family for a few days might be a balm for his soul.

It seemed like forever before I was opening the door to see him standing before me. His eyes were tinged with red from his lingering tears, further evidence of just how hard this morning had been on him. Pulling him into my arms, I murmured, "C'mere, baby. Let me try and make it better."

As he let me lead him to the sofa in the family room, he laced his fingers through mine and sighed softly. "How do you do it?" he asked, a hint of a crooked smile playing at his lips.

"Do what?"

"Anticipate my needs; know exactly how to make me feel better?"

I smiled, pulling him down beside me and encouraged him to lay his head in my lap. When he stretched his legs out onto the couch, I ran my fingers gently through his blonde waves. "I guess I'm just really good at reading people, especially you."

He sighed, turning his head to meet my gaze. "I'm sorry I've been a little crazy lately. I just- I guess it's been an emotional week all the way around. I didn't realize how hard it would be to say goodbye to them again."

"You don't need to apologize to me. I love you, and I'm here for you. I want you to feel safe sharing your feelings with me, babe." I brushed my thumb over his lips and watched as he kissed it.

"I know," he whispered. "It means alot to me to know that I can show you my weaknesses and you won't judge me or think any less of me." His eyes drifted closed and I leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on his forehead.

I lay my body in beside his and wrapped an arm around his waist, tucking my face into the crook of his neck and letting his scent wash over me. "I'll always do my best to take care of you, Jasper."

"I love you."

**~*E*~**

The next week and a half seemed to fly by faster than I could have imagined. We made a point to spend some time with friends just hanging out. It made me happy to know that my loved ones had accepted Jasper so completely, and that even though I would be leaving soon, I was leaving my love in capable and caring hands.

We were both very aware of how little time we had left. As I became more insatiable in regards to our sex life, Jasper became more loving, more affectionate. If we were in the same room, he was touching me in some way, be it a hand rubbing soothing circles on my back, or a gentle finger brushing a hair out of my face. I tried not to dwell on the inevitable, but I couldn't help but wonder how I would be able to make it through the weeks between our visits.

Eventually, we were forced to deal once again with our impending separation. Our last few days were upon us, and I was hoping to make them special. Something memorable to keep us both from going crazy during our weeks apart.

I had planned very carefully. We had enough supplies- in the way of food, condoms, and lube, as well as beer and wine- to get us through the next three days without having to go out. What I really wanted was to be able to show Jasper, through words and actions, just how much I loved him, and how much I would miss him when we were apart. What I didn't realize was how much he needed those reassurances. I had no idea that he had been falling apart inside, wondering if we would really be able to keep it together with so many miles between us.

**~*E*~**

Dinner had been wonderful; we worked side by side in the kitchen, cooking and joking around, and then ate quietly at the table over soft candle light. We occasionally exchanged tender kisses and soft, loving caresses as the evening wore on, building a slow-burning fire between us that could only lead to us in his bed, limbs and hearts tangled together intimately.

As we cleared the table when our meal was through, I noticed suddenly just how quiet Jasper had been for the last few minutes. When I glanced back at him on my way in to the kitchen, it was to find him brushing away tears with the back of his hand.

"Jasper? Baby, what's wrong?" I asked, carefully setting the dirty dishes in the sink. He didn't answer, just shook his head and turned back to the living room. I followed as he bypassed the living room, and caught him by the arm as he headed for his bedroom.

Encouraging him to look at me, I pleaded, "Talk to me, babe."

"Fuck," he mumbled, shaking his head. "I can't believe I'm doin' this again! What the fuck is wrong with me? I'm turning into a fuckin' girl, for christ's sake!"

I layed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and used my other to turn his face back towards me. "What's going on, J? You're starting to really worry me, here."

Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths, trying to regain his composure. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to freak you out. Just- wait here for just a minute, okay?"

I felt a little unsteady, but I agreed to his request, and moved across the room to sit in the arm chair. I was curious, and a little nervous about his behavior. I knew we were both feeling needy and desperate to make the most of our time together, but I had never seen him this emotional.

When he returned to the room, I scrambled up out of the chair and turned to face him. "Tell me what's going on, please?"

He took my hand and wordlessly led me to his room, where there were dozens of candles burning on nearly every flat surface. I gasped at the sight, still not sure what was going on. I watched as Jasper crossed the room to his night table and turned on his ihome, letting soft music flood the room. "What is all this?" I asked, my breath catching in my throat.

"I wanted to do something nice for you, something romantic for you to remember 'til I get out to Chicago."

He looked up at me through his eyelashes, chewing his lip nervously. "I know I've been all over the place these last couple of weeks, and I can't apologize enough for that. I guess I'm a little freaked out. I've never felt like this about anyone, and I'm suddenly feeling totally out of control. I'm still not sure how I'm gonna go about my daily life without you here."

Closing the distance between us, I snaked my arms around his waist, kissing him tenderly on the lips. I rested my head on his shoulder and hummed appreciatively.

We stood in the candle-lit room, arms wrapped tightly around each other as we swayed slowly with the rhythm of the music. Jasper's breath was warm against my neck, and he was gripping the back of my shirt tightly.

"Baby, I'm still here," I said softly as I brought my hands up to cradle his face. "We have two more nights together, and I want to make the most of them. I want to show you how much I love you, how much I need you and want you." With all the passion in my heart, I pressed my lips against his mouth and let my tongue tease his full lips. He sighed, parting them and allowing me entrance.

Letting his hands trail leisurely from my back to my chest, he very carefully began to undo the buttons of my shirt. I moaned softly as his lips moved from my mouth to my jaw, and then down the side of my neck, where he stopped to lick and suck and nibble at the skin just behind my ear. "Love you...so fuckin' much," he murmured as he traced the shell of my ear with his tongue.

He made short work of removing my shirt, and quickly followed with the tank I had been wearing underneath. Talented fingers teased my nipples as I reached to free the hem of his t-shirt from his pants. He only stopped his teasing when I tugged his shirt over his head.

Bare chests came together, and with warm skin and perspiration suddenly making us both needy, we hastily removed the rest of our clothing. I would never forget how beautiful Jasper looked in the light of the moon streaming through the window combined with the soft glow of the candles. He looked like an angel. I reached out to brush a lock of hair from his forehead as I stepped toward him again and whispered, "How did I ever get so lucky?"

Snaking his arms around my waist, he sighed, "I'm the lucky one. I never thought I would find my soul mate, my other half. You are those things, baby. You're it for me...I love you more than I ever thought possible..." He choked on the words, not able to control his emotions any longer.

I held him tight against my chest as I felt him tremble. "You're all those things for me too, you know that," I whispered in his ear. "Nobody has ever made me feel the way you do. I'm yours, always."

Our kisses were tender, but the underlying need and feeling of desperation was never far from the surface. "I need you Jasper," I said softly. "Please, I need to feel you..."

Taking his hand in mine, I led him across the room to the bed. I turned down the blankets and climbed in, laying my head back on the pillows. Without a word, he crawled in and settled himself half on top of me. He slowly and gently began to draw patterns on my chest and abs with his fingers as he kissed me.

I trembled beneath his touch, my skin heating as he trailed feather-light kisses across my abdomen. When his hand ghosted across my aching erection, I moaned in pleasure, my nerves wound so tight that I wasn't sure I would last more than a few moments without exploding.

"I love the way your skin colors when I touch you," he whispered against my navel. "And the way your breath hitches when I kiss you here..." Jasper's warm breath washed over my scrotum, and I shivered, my breath catching in my throat, just as he had predicted.

"C'mere," I mumbled, pulling him up into a searing kiss. When he stopped for air, I buried my face in his neck.

"I love that you know me better than anyone else in the world, better than I know myself sometimes."

He smiled, meeting my eyes as he stroked a finger along my jaw. "You know me just as well. Sometimes it feels like I've known you my whole life, and not just a matter of a few weeks."

"Me too," I murmured, kissing him softly before resting my head on his arm.

"Would you be terribly dissappointed if we never left this room all weekend?" he asked, a shy grin spreading across his face.

"That sounds like the best idea I've heard in a long time."

His kiss was tender and gentle, losing some of the urgency we had both felt earlier. We lay in each other's arms, stroking, caressing, and exploring every inch of skin we could reach.

"Jas, baby, do you remember that first night?"

He laughed lightly, the sound warming me from the inside out as his body shook beside me. "Of course I do; I couldn't keep my hands off you!" Sitting up, Jasper moved up the bed so that his back was against the pillows.

Chuckling, I replied, "As I recall, you weren't the only one with wandering hands." I straddled his lap and laced my fingers together behind his neck. When I rolled my hips against his, his whispered 'fuck' went straight to my cock and I whimpered. "I also recall...something...about horny teenagers."

A soft groan escaped my throat as Jasper gripped my hips tightly, pressing his pelvis up into mine. "Shit, Edward...need you..."

"Like this?" I asked, teasing, as I wrapped my fingers around both of our erections and swiped my thumb over the heads to spread the pre-cum that was gathering there.

"Fuck, baby," he answered with a groan. "In me, around me...doesn't matter. Just need you..."

I continued to stroke us languidly for a few moments, gently rolling my hips to get more friction. "Want to fuck you, J...is that okay?"

"Yeah," he whispered, his whole body shivering at the words. "Please...now!"

Taking care to prepare him, I watched as his skin flushed and a sheen of sweat began to bloom on his golden skin. Our eyes met, and I swear, it may have been the single most erotic moment of my life. He moaned wantonly as my fingers brushed over his prostate, his gaze never leaving mine as my pulse pounded in my needy cock.

"Please darlin'," he murmured. "I'm ready...please. Make love to me Edward; give me something to remember when you're gone."

I kissed him hard, desperate to show him just how much he meant to me. Taking my sheathed dick in hand, I brushed the tip back and forth over his slippery hole as I continued to kiss him deeply. I made love to his mouth with my tongue, probing and massaging as I pressed my swollen head past his tight ring of muscle. We groaned in unison at the sensation, both wanting more, but needing a few moments; needing this feeling to last as long as possible.

"Shit! Jasper...love you so much," I whispered against his lips.

"Me too, baby, more than my own life," he replied. "God, you feel so fucking good...fill my ass up so good that all I can feel is you."

My dick twitched at his words, and I slowly pushed forward, causing us both to moan at the feeling. "Need to move, J...you okay?"

"So good, darlin'. Do it...fuck me..."

I pulled out slowly, then drove back in to him until my balls were nestled firmly against his crack. Continuing to thrust slow and deep, I added a circle of my hips that caused my head to brush his prostrate on every pass. Through it all, our eyes were focused on each other, trying to take in every moment, every feeling, so that we could hold on to it in the weeks to come.

"So tight...Fuck, Jas!" I groaned as I picked up the pace of my movements. "You're so fucking hot, baby...drive me crazy..." I mumbled incoherently.

The noises coming from Jasper's mouth were quickly pushing me closer to the edge of my release, and I was fighting to hold out for him.

"Right...there...FUCK!" he cried as I pounded in to him with more force. "Just like that, baby...so fucking close!"

My movements became erratic as I felt his muscles beging to spasm around me. Pressing our lips together once more, I plunged my tongue roughly into the depths of his mouth. When I finally pulled away I whispered breathlessly, "Come for me Jasper; I want you to come all over me."

His whole body siezed and his ass clenched tightly around my cock as thick, creamy ropes of come erupted from his dick. "Fuck!" he screamed as he continued to jerk his hips. I reached for his pulsing erection and pumped it, carefully milking every last drop of his seed from his body. When he was finally spent, he reached for my hips, digging his blunt nails into my flesh. "Do it," he said, his voice raw from his passionate cries. "Want you to come deep inside my ass, baby."

I felt my balls pull up tight as his words pushed me over the edge. All I could see were lights dancing at the edge of my vision as my whole body spasmed. It felt like my orgasm went on forever, my body in a state of ecstasy I had never experienced before. I only drifted back to reality when I felt Jasper's hands trailing up my back to run his fingers through my sweat-damp hair.

At some point, I had collapsed against his chest, and my face was still buried in the crook of his neck. I could feel the vibrations in my body as he spoke softly to me.

"Edward, darlin'? You okay?" he asked.

"Better than okay," I mumbled into his skin.

Chuckling lightly, he replied, "Tell me about it. That was incredible; you're incredible."

I somehow managed to find the strength to lift my head and meet his gaze. Smiling, I declared, "This is what I'll remember; being here in your arms like this. It's what I'll hold on to until we're together again."

"Three weeks," he whispered, his eyes glistening with emotion.

"I know it seems like a long time, baby, but I promise it will be here before we know it. And we'll both be busy with school, which will help." I didn't know what else I could say to alleviate his fears, especially since I had plenty of my own.

"And we still have two more days..." he started, nodding his head as words escaped him.

"Two more days, love, and we can spend them all right here if we want."

"Okay," he replied, pulling me to him for a gentle kiss.

We never did leave his condo that weekend. We spent most of it naked, in and out of bed. We ate when we felt like it, we even made it to the shower a couple of times. But mostly we stayed in bed, wrapped in each other's arms. Sometimes just talking, other times making love until we could barely breath from the emotions overwhelming us both.

We were both fairly quiet Sunday morning. I woke up with the sun to the feel of Jasper's hands massaging my ass. When he realized I was beginning to stir, he spread my cheeks and made love to me with his tongue and fingers before finally, _finally_ entering me. It was slow and sweet, and filled with so much love it took my breath away, and when we were both fully sated, he took me to the shower and washed me with a reverence I had never known before.

The drive to the airport was torturous. I had a lump in my throat that got bigger with every mile, and I could see that Jasper was trying to keep his emotions in check. When I had checked my bag and was ready to head to the security checkpoint, I could almost feel him vibrating at my side.

I had been dreading this moment all summer. How do you say goodbye to the one person who means more to you than you can ever express? As we stood there at the gate, staring at each other, both with tears in our eyes, all I could think of was that I never wanted to live my life without him in it.

"Three weeks," I whispered as I cupped his face in my hands. "Three weeks and we'll be together again."

"I miss you already," he choked, struggling to keep the tears at bay.

"Me too, baby." I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my forehead against his, trying hard to get the words out through the sob that was stuck in my throat. "There won't be a minute that goes by that I won't wish I were here in your arms; remember that when you feel lonely. We can talk everyday if you want to, and we both have our web cams set up."

He nodded in response, trying to get himself back under control. "Call me as soon as you get there, okay? Just...just so I know you made it safely."

"I promise. And don't forget, my Mom is expecting you for dinner tonight." He smiled at me then, and it reassured me that we could get through this, we _would_ get through this.

"I love you, Edward," he murmured as he kissed me tenderly. "I will be counting the days 'til my trip to Chicago."

"I love you, too. Don't let yourself forget it, okay?"

He smiled again and nodded his head, and I placed one last chaste kiss on his lips. I turned and walked through the gate to security. I couldn't bring myself to look back; I knew that if I did, I'd never be able to leave.

In the grand scheme of things, three weeks really isn't a long time, but on that day, it felt like forever.

**...**

**Thanks again for sticking with this story! Thanks to everyone who has added me to their faves and alerts- you all inspire me to keep writing, even when it gets tough!**

**If you want to follow me on twitter, you can find me mrsyt31**

**See you next time, and if you are so inclined, please leave a review and let me know what you think!**

**Erin**


	13. Chapter 12

**Standard disclaimer applies...but I think you already knew that the boys don't really belong to me. They sure do own me, though.**

**See you at the end...**

**...*...*...*...*...*...*...*...**

_I love how soft you touch my skin_

_Like you're touching the wings of a butterfly_

_I wish we could just lock ourselves in a room_

_Where there was no such thing as time_

_I've never let anyone get this close_

_I've always been afraid_

_But you break down every wall and yet I feel so safe_

_Every part of who I am_

_Is so in love 'cause what I have is beautiful..._

_"Beautiful"- _Faith Hill

**Chapter 12**

_Staring into vivid green eyes, I was lost in the sounds of my lover, moaning and writhing above me as he rode my dick, his ass locked in a vice grip around my rigid flesh._

_"Yeah, keep fucking me!", he cried as I lifted my hips to meet his over and over again. _

_His body fell against mine so that we were chest to chest and he took my lips in a searing kiss. I whimpered as he probed the far reaches of my mouth..._

"Sir? Sir! We're beginning our descent over Chicago. You need to return your seat to the upright position and fasten your seat belt." The flight attendant smiled softly at me as she folded my blanket and placed it back in the overhead compartment.

"Sure. Sorry," I muttered, straightening my seat as I tried to shake off the vivid images of Edward in my dream.

I was almost there. I was finally going to see him and hold him again.

The last three weeks had seemed incredibly long. I had started my new classes and had even gone back to working weekends at Aro's, but there were still too many hours in the day for me to think about Edward and how much I missed him. His mother had even tried to pull me out of my funk, with little success.

But now, well, in approximately thirty minutes, I would be back in his arms again.

As the plane finally pulled into the gate, I could feel the nervous anxiety building inside of me. We had talked nearly every day, and had been skyping at least twice every week, but the thought of touching him again was making every nerve in my body tingle with anticipation.

My flight had been filled to capacity, and getting off the plane was a little slower than I was hoping. But when I finally made my way through the gate, the crowd had begun to clear, and I caught a vision of bronze hair that I would have recognized anywhere. He spotted me at the same moment that his glorious face came into my field of vision.

I could see a smile forming as my name fell from his lips. "Jasper," he murmured as he stepped forward to pull me into his arms. My own arms snaked around his waist and held him tightly. Leaning in to place a tender kiss behind my ear, he sighed. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too, darlin'," I replied. "I can't believe I'm finally here; seems like it's been forever."

He pulled back briefly to look at my face, and cradled my jaw in his hands. "C'mon, let's get out of here." We kissed, both careful to keep it chaste enough for our surroundings, and then I took his hand, twining our fingers together. Grabbing the duffel I used as a carry-on, we headed for the exit.

The ride to Edward's place was relatively quiet. We held hands in the cab and occasionally shared heated glances. Now that we were getting closer to being alone together, I was finding it harder and harder to control my need for him.

"I was having a great dream on the plane," I teased as our taxi pulled up to his building.

"Oh really? About what?"

"About you and me, and that one time on the sofa the last weekend we were together..." I grinned mischievously as I opened the door and stepped on to the curb.

Edward stepped out of the cab behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist, and whispered heavily into my ear, "I can't wait to get you inside so that I can ride you like that again." My breath hitched as he trailed his warm tongue around the rim of my ear, teasing me with what was to come. He stepped away, grabbing my hand, and led me up the stairs into his building.

We didn't even stop to kiss on the trip up to his apartment, both so filled with the need to finally be skin to skin that we practically raced to his door. My hands wandered over Edward's ass and thighs as I watched him fumble with his keys, trying to get the door open as quickly as possible. When we were both inside, he closed the door and flipped the lock before turning to me and demanding, "You. Bedroom. Now."

I couldn't help but groan as he led me down the hall to his room, stripping his clothes off as he went. He flipped on a lamp when we entered, and immediately pushed me back against the wall. His eyes never left mine as our lips brushed together, his tongue reaching out to steal a taste of what he had been missing.

"I love you so much," he murmured, kissing me once more before dropping to his knees in front of me. "I want to hold you all night long, baby, but first...first, I just want to taste you, feel your lips around my cock, and feel your big dick deep inside my ass. Is that okay with you?" he asked, peeking up at me through his long lashes.

"Fuck yeah, babe...please? Need you so much...missed you, this..."

Before I could say anything else, I was enveloped in the tight heat of Edward's throat. "Fuck," I muttered, moaning as he swallowed around me. "Been hard all day babe, thinkin' of you. Not gonna last if you keep that up."

Pulling off with a pop he responded, "S'okay...we have all night." He leaned in again, pulling just my sensitive head between his lips and licked around the rim like it was a lollipop. My entire body was vibrating with the need to release as he slowly worked his lips back down to the base of my cock. His deft fingers found their way between my cheeks while his head bobbed up and down my length, bringing me closer and closer to the edge with each careful stroke.

My orgasm hit me without warning, my cock erupting suddenly into Edward's eager mouth. He moaned after every swallow, his eyes on my face as my body continued to tremble. Very carefully, he licked me clean, his arms wrapped around me to keep my legs steady.

"Shit, darlin', that was even better than I remember," I nearly whispered, my voice rough and husky with desire. When I was capable of controlling my body again, I sat up and pushed Edward flat on his back. "I know you had your heart set on riding my cock, but it may be a little bit before I'm ready to go again. Think we can find something to occupy us 'til that happens?"

He let out a shaky sigh. "What did you have in mind?" he asked, my favorite crooked smile spreading across his face.

I spent the next twenty minutes torturing him slowly with my lips, teeth, and tongue. Let's just say he was _very_ appreciative of my efforts.

We shared a late dinner, after Edward finally gave me a quick tour of his place, opting to take our plates into his room. Sitting on his bed feeding each other bites and sharing kisses, it suddenly felt like everything was right in my world again. All the sadness and worries I had felt for the last three weeks had disappeared as soon as I saw his face at the airport.

And for the record, Edward rode me like a rodeo champ later that night.

**_*~T~*~S~*~C~*~A~*_**

As much as I would have loved to spend my whole weekend with Edward in his bed, I also wanted to see some of the city, since I had never been to Chicago before.

We spent the better part of Saturday seeing the sights and getting reacquainted. I couldn't help but think of our first date and how he had showed me around then as well, but this day was different. In Boston, Edward had taken me to places that he knew I would love and appreciate. In Chicago, he shared the places he had come to love in the time he had been there, and it helped me to see a part of him I might not have otherwise ever gotten to know.

He never failed to amaze me; he was the type of person you could put anywhere, in any situation, and he always just seemed to fit, like he belonged there. Chicago was no different, and if I hadn't known better, I would have been convinced that he had always been there.

We had dinner in a quiet little Japanese restaurant that Edward knew. As we shared a plate of sashimi and some amazing teriyaki steak, I filled him in on my dinners with his parents over the last three weeks. Esme had taken to inviting me over for dinner whenever I wasn't working, letting me study at the kitchen island while she prepared gourmet meals for me. With my family thousands of miles away, I had almost come to think of Esme as a second mother, and she and Carlisle both had made me feel more than welcome in their home.

Of course, Edward had never doubted that his parents would love me and was thrilled that I had been spending so much time with them. I knew he was hoping to be back in Boston permanently come springtime, that it had always been his wish to return home when he was done with med school. And maybe it was selfish, but I wanted it too, couldn't imagine any other alternative. Boston was my home now, and I wanted Edward home with me where he belonged.

**_*~T~*~S~*~C~*~A~*_**

"So, your mom called me the other night."

I looked up from the book in my hand and met Edward's gaze. "Really?" I asked. "How did she sound?"

Perhaps the look of confusion on his face should have given me pause, but just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. "Fine, I guess. I think she was checking up on you; ten bucks says she called my mom after she got off the phone with me."

I smiled casually, thinking that it sounded just like something that mama would do.

"Why did you ask me how she sounded?" Edward asked me curiously.

Pausing to take a breath, I wondered to myself why that had been my first question when he told me she called. "I'm not sure. I guess...the last couple of times I talked to her before I came out here she sounded so tired. I worry about her, you know?"

I felt warm arms wrap around my waist as he kissed me softly on the tender spot behind my ear. "I know it's hard for you to be so far away, especially now when you're here with me. Before me, you would have been with them during your break. Maybe that's why she called me."

"What exactly did she say to you?" I asked as I turned to face him.

"She said that you seemed really happy, and that she was glad that you had me because she knew I would take care of you. She asked if I had made any special plans for your visit...I think maybe she was letting me know that she approves of our relationship."

Taking his face in my hands, I kissed him tenderly. "She told me as much when she came to visit. Said you were the best thing that ever came into my life and that you were a keeper."

"I told her how lucky _I_ am to have _you_ in my life, that I love you, and that I will always do whatever it takes to make you happy."

I gazed lovingly into his sparkling green eyes, once again overwhelmed by the feeling that as long as I was with Edward, I was exactly where I belonged. "I'm the lucky one, baby. I've never felt safer than I do with you. I know it's irrational, but...sometimes I get scared that I'm gonna fuck it all up somehow, and I'm not sure if I could survive without you now."

"Oh Jas...don't ever...don't ever think like that, okay? There is nothing on this earth that could ever take me away from you, don't you know that?" He sighed, his forehead drawn together in concentration. "I love you Jasper, more than anything; there is nothing that could ever happen to make me not want to be with you. _You_ are my life now."

Reaching up to brush my thumb over the crease in his forehead, I smiled. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

_***~T~*~S~*~C~*~A~***_

"You like that, baby?" I murmured in his ear, softly brushing the tip of my tongue along the ridge. I felt his fingertips tighten around my thighs as he leaned back, his hips pushing forward, rocking against me and pushing my dick as deep as it could go.

"Yeah," he whispered as he moved his legs from their position astride my hips to wrap around my waist. Sliding one hand behind his back and the other between us over his heart, I gently pushed him so that his back was flat on the bed.

My cock was still buried in his ass and my legs were out in front of me, cradling his body between them. Taking in my awkward position, he smiled curiously. "Not gonna be easy for you to move in this position."

"Not gonna need to; you're gonna do it for me."

Leaning over, I took the head of his dick between my lips, letting the sensitive ridge slide in and out of my mouth; in this position I couldn't manage much more than that. "Fuck yes," he said, nearly growling as the words left him. He whimpered as I continued to tease his swollen head with my lips and tongue, and then he started moving. Slowly at first, he rocked his hips back against the mattress and then forward, allowing me to just barely brush that spot deep inside that made him moan and cry out.

"Need more...fuck! Need to move babe..." His hips began to roll in a small circle as he found his rhythm. I moaned around his dick as his pace increased, his hips writhing around and around the base of my cock.

Licking his slit as I pulled my head away, I smiled and urged him on. "Yeah, baby...fuck yourself on my dick...feels so fuckin' good."

I could feel the heat building deep in the pit of my stomach, and suddenly I needed more; more movement, more friction, more...anything. I grabbed him by the ass and pulled him with me as I fell onto my back, our bodies still joined together.

"Yes!" he cried out, grabbing the headboard as I held his hips and began to piston in and out of his body, bringing us both closer and closer to the edge of no return.

Licking my lips, I looked up at him and practically grunted as I said, "I'm gonna fuck you hard till you come."

I watched as his face gave away his impending orgasm, eyes rolling back in his head as his mouth opened, forming a perfect 'O'. His eyes flashed to me as his body took over, leaving him trembling as his cock shot thick ropes of cream across my chest and abs.

"Fuck...oh fuck!" he shouted as the aftershocks of his orgasm continued to roll through him. With one last thrust of my hips, I buried myself as deeply inside of him as I could get, my dick throbbing as I filled the condom.

White lights danced behind my eyelids, and as I slowly came down from the high of my release, it was to whispered words of love and adoration from Edward.

"Love you so much...so fucking beautiful when you come." He nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck, placing tender kisses along my collarbone. "I wish we could stay right here like this forever," he whispered as I carefully pulled out of his warm body.

"Me too," I answered, smiling at the way he had wrapped himself around me. Pulling away from him just long enough to ditch the condom in the trash can beside his bed, I held him tight against me so that we were face to face, our foreheads pressed together.

"Early morning tomorrow," he whispered. "We should probably get some sleep."

"Yeah, probably. But I think I'd like to just hold you and look at you for a while, if that's okay with you?"

He kissed the tip of my nose, and then my lips, nodding his head in reply. "I'm going to miss you like crazy, and this visit was nowhere near long enough, but I'm really glad you were here."

"There's no where else on Earth I would rather be."

I'm not really sure how long I watched him before I finally drifted off, but when the alarm went off at four in the morning, we were still in the same position, legs entwined in a tangled mess with his arm draped lazily across my chest.

Not quite ready for our time together to end, I let my mind wander to what our future would hold. There would be many more mornings like this to enjoy, but we would no longer have to worry about the long separations in between. As I prepared myself to say goodbye to him again, I held on to the images in my mind, knowing in my heart that in the end, we would be together.

**...*...*...*...*...*...**

**Yeah, so, I could apologize for taking so long, but I struggled so hard to get this chapter written that I couldn't have gotten it out any sooner. Writer's block is a tough thing, but I'm hoping that I'm finally moving past it, because these guys are just itching to fill me in on what's gonna happen down the road. **

**On a related note, I read a review somewhere(for someone else's fic) where the reviewer said that not reviewing is a way to punish the author for not updating frequently enough. I just think that attitude kind of sucks- I read alot of fics that I absolutely LOVE that don't update that often. But, I still love them, and I'm not afraid to share my love with anyone that will listen. I've heard authors say that they don't write for the reviews, but for me, the only real feedback I ever get is from my readers, so every single review is precious and appreciated. I will always do my best to respond to every review that comes in, and if I have ever missed anybody, I am truly sorry. Just know that I am extremely thankful that you all have continued on with me and my boys, and I won't stop working on their story till we get to the end :)**

**Huge thanks to mycrookedsmile for her beta help and encouragement :) I really hope that the edits I made in the last scene make it easier to envision ;) And, if anyone (besides Jenn) can guess where my inspiration for the citrus in this chapter came from, well, I wish I had something cool for ya, but I'm just curious if anyone can guess...**

**Til next time, my friends...**

**xoxoxoxo**


	14. Chapter 13

**Yeah, so...yeah. Hope there are still some of you out there. I still can't promise regular updates, but hopefully they will be much more frequent. If you follow me on Twitter, you pretty much know what my life has been like for the last few months. I won't even get into it here except to say, sometimes things really can get worse. Anyways, life is settling down a little, and I'm back.**

**If you're not already reading, check out Big Gay Story by the slashtastics. I wrote chapter 14, which posted last Friday. It's a great story with alot of twists and turns, and I am really looking forward to seeing what the other authors have in store for our boys!**

**This chapter is very short, and I apologize, but it just works this way. Plus, I wanted to get something out for you guys so you know I am definitely not abandoning this story. I love these boys as much as you all do, and I am so grateful for the support I have received from all of you! It is also unbeta'd, so I apologize for any puncuation or grammatical errors!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own. If I did, my life might not be nearly ****so stressful!**

**Chapter 13**

I knew it was going to be hard being away from Jasper. That knowledge was confirmed after our long weekend together. I thought I had been doing well, that I was being strong. But as soon as I saw him in the airport, it felt like I could suddenly breathe again, and I never even realized that I was drowning.

His visit was too short. I could spend every day with him and it would never be enough. For now, though, we had to take our time together when and where we could get it.

When it was time for him to go, it was even harder than when we were first separated. Maybe because now I was the one being left behind, or maybe because I loved him even more than I had a few days before. All I knew was that as I watched him walk through the gate to board his flight, it felt like I was losing another piece of my heart. The only way to put the pieces back together was to be with him again.

Over the next few weeks, I kept myself busy with my day to day life. I spent the majority of my time at the hospital, but when I was home I tried to find little distractions for myself. Jasper and I talked nearly every day, and we continued with our twice weekly Skype chats as well. I was thankful that we could be in such close contact considering the physical miles between us, but I was also very glad that I knew exactly when I would be seeing him again.

About three weeks after Jasper's first trip to Chicago, we had planned for him to come back for another long weekend over the Columbus Day holiday. I had somehow managed to get a couple of days off over the weekend, and I know we were both looking forward to reconnecting again.

Jasper's mother continued to call me, and while I was surprised at first, I quickly became accustomed to our once or twice weekly chats. Sometimes she asked about Jasper, sometimes she asked how things were at the hospital, and sometimes she just wanted to chat about nothing in particular. Talking to her somehow made me feel even more connected to Jasper, and I was glad for the chance to get to know her better, even if it was only over the phone. When she called the night before Jasper was to fly in from Boston, it never occured to me to consider it odd that she would ask me to promise that I would always take care of him. She told me that sometimes he could be stubborn, and that he had always carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

She made me promise that I would never give up on him, even when things got tough. Because that, she said, is what being in love with somebody is all about; loving enough for both when one partner wasn't strong enough to hold up their end.

Looking back now, I guess I should have known, or at least had a clue that something was wrong.

**~*T*~*S*~*C*~*A*~**

I met him at the airport again, exchanging tender kisses as we embraced. It never failed to amaze me how my body seemed to come alive at his touch.

I took a moment to survey the face of this man that I loved. I couldn't help but notice that, while he was totally relaxed in my arms, his eyes were tired with dark, bruise-like shadows beneath them. Cupping his face in my hands, I carefully stroked my thumb over the area, watching as he closed his eyes and leaned into my touch.

"Is everything okay? You look exhausted."

He sighed softly and turned his face, kissing my palm gingerly. "Yeah, just...Something's wrong with Mama, I just know it."

It didn't escape my notice that he seemed to be looking to me for confirmation. Unfortunately, I had none to offer.

"She called today before I left," he continued. "She just doesn't seem like herself; hasn't for a while now."

"I talked to her last night and she seemed okay. Did you ask her about it?" He nodded in reply but didn't speak. "Well, what did she say, Jasper?"

"She says she's sure it's nothing; she has a physical scheduled for the first of next week and she'll talk to her doctor about it then. She also told me to 'stop frettin' and come out here for some quality time with my young man." He smiled at the last bit, and let his arms slide in around my waist as he laid his head on my shoulder. "Am I overreacting?"

I let my fingers slide through his wavy locks, kissing his cheek as I thought about how to answer his question. "Overreacting? I don't think so; I'd probably be the same way if it were my mom. But she's right babe. It probably _is_ nothing, but at least she's going to see her doctor, and that is a good thing. There's no sense worrying until you know that there's something to worry about, okay?"

Looking me in the eyes, he smiled and nodded his head. "Okay. Thank you."

After a quick kiss on the lips, I answered, "I love you, and I'm always here to help."

"I love you too," he replied, sliding his hand in to mine. "Now, let's get back to your place so I can get you naked."

Even though he tried hard to lighten the mood, I knew he couldn't help but be worried. An ominous feeling settled in my stomach as I remembered the conversation I had had the night before. What if there was something wrong with his mother?

**~*T*~*S*~*C*~*A*~**

Another too short visit and we were saying goodbye again. If I had known then what I know now, I might have done it differently. Held on a little tighter, a little longer. Or maybe I would have packed it all up and just gone back to Boston with him that day.

I guess hindsight really is 20/20, because there are alot of things I would change if I could go back.

I kissed him goodbye in the airport that day and told him that I loved him, not knowing that it would be the last time I would see him that way; open and happy, loving me as I loved him. Not even for a moment did I consider that the next time I saw him would be the end of us.


End file.
